Spark Launches new Inhome Experience - Spark Smart Modem & Spark Smart Mesh

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark Launches new Inhome Experience - Spark Smart Modem & Spark Smart Mesh

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188 posts

Master Geek

#2405198 23-Jan-2020 11:51

hio77:
beehappy:

Hi

i called into the Alexandra Spark store to order a new smart modem but they advised me they don't work on VDSL

i checked Spark online it says ADSL/VDSL is supported

can anyone advise me please

Pete

This is a tad confusion over an informer that has gone out to agents.

There is a unique condition of linecards on adsl that fail to sync. The newer firmware fixes this however until all our stock is updated we aren't keen to risk it (so offering hg659b in this case)

@hio77 is this still the case? I ordered a VDSL plan today with a view to it starting next week. The Spark rep I spoke to said the modem I will be sent will be another HG695B. I would have thought it would be the new smart modem by now?

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2405214 23-Jan-2020 11:57

catspyjamas:

@hio77 is this still the case? I ordered a VDSL plan today with a view to it starting next week. The Spark rep I spoke to said the modem I will be sent will be another HG695B. I would have thought it would be the new smart modem by now?

Hi there,

Just double checked, we are still draining the Copper stock.

the Linecard issue is all sorted though and all of our modem stock has been upgraded past that to ensure no faults happen around that.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

catspyjamas

188 posts

Master Geek

#2405217 23-Jan-2020 12:02

hio77:

catspyjamas:

@hio77 is this still the case? I ordered a VDSL plan today with a view to it starting next week. The Spark rep I spoke to said the modem I will be sent will be another HG695B. I would have thought it would be the new smart modem by now?

Hi there,

Just double checked, we are still draining the Copper stock.

the Linecard issue is all sorted though and all of our modem stock has been upgraded past that to ensure no faults happen around that.

OK thanks for checking that out @hio77. Being that the HG696b is essentially phased out now, will it still receive firmware updates? My new contract is for a year and I'd like to know any updates I need (especially in relation to security) are still happening.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2405221 23-Jan-2020 12:13

catspyjamas:

OK thanks for checking that out @hio77. Being that the HG696b is essentially phased out now, will it still receive firmware updates? My new contract is for a year and I'd like to know any updates I need (especially in relation to security) are still happening.

We still do maintain the devices, and IF a security issue came up, We surely would push it out.

End of the day, we do have a ton of those modems in service and perfectly working... It's just that the device isn't really As suitable for a growing Fibre Connected home than in the past, where bandwidth demands are often far higher than the wifi chipset in the h659b can supply.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

WH0A

52 posts

Master Geek

#2405224 23-Jan-2020 12:17

I really like this new modem-router from Spark, but have been very disappointed with the wifi performance and any suggestions would be appreciated, @hio77.

We were just connected to fibre (previously VDSL) but we are still only getting VDSL-type speeds for devices on wifi. Connected by cable the speed is full-on fibre and very good, but drops off massively as soon as it routes through wifi. E.g. Download 900-1000 Mbps under Ethernet, but 90-200 Mbps max under wifi.

For some reason it is consistently slower on our Surface Pro and a bit faster (under double the speed) on devices like iPhone and iPad, even though they are all connected under 5G. But even the iOS device speeds are not what they should be for fibre.

Spark's tech customer service has been trying to help but they haven't been able to make a difference. At Spark's direction, we've have tried changing numerous settings, including manually testing every single channel available, and performing factory resets, etc. The last step was that they thought the Spark Modem was faulty so I replaced that yesterday, but disappointingly it has made no difference at all.

All the typical sources of interference have been checked and don't apply in this house or the wider area. And I would have hoped that at least one of the channels would have worked if that was the problem.

Any suggestions?!

Thank you.

catspyjamas

188 posts

Master Geek

#2405226 23-Jan-2020 12:22

hio77:

We still do maintain the devices, and IF a security issue came up, We surely would push it out.

End of the day, we do have a ton of those modems in service and perfectly working... It's just that the device isn't really As suitable for a growing Fibre Connected home than in the past, where bandwidth demands are often far higher than the wifi chipset in the h659b can supply.

Thanks :) All good. Whether it would still be maintained with updates was really my only concern about not getting the latest model. I don't have a smart TV so it's just four laptops, a printer, a couple of phones and a GPS that I need to connect. I doubt I'll hit 32 devices in the space of a year.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2405229 23-Jan-2020 12:26

WH0A:

I really like this new modem-router from Spark, but have been very disappointed with the wifi performance and any suggestions would be appreciated, @hio77.

We were just connected to fibre (previously VDSL) but we are still only getting VDSL-type speeds for devices on wifi. Connected by cable the speed is full-on fibre and very good, but drops off massively as soon as it routes through wifi. E.g. Download 900-1000 Mbps under Ethernet, but 90-200 Mbps max under wifi.

For some reason it is consistently slower on our Surface Pro and a bit faster (under double the speed) on devices like iPhone and iPad, even though they are all connected under 5G. But even the iOS device speeds are not what they should be for fibre.

Spark's tech customer service has been trying to help but they haven't been able to make a difference. At Spark's direction, we've have tried changing numerous settings, including manually testing every single channel available, and performing factory resets, etc. The last step was that they thought the Spark Modem was faulty so I replaced that yesterday, but disappointingly it has made no difference at all.

All the typical sources of interference have been checked and don't apply in this house or the wider area. And I would have hoped that at least one of the channels would have worked if that was the problem.

Any suggestions?!

Thank you.

Use 5ghz wifi where possible, but things like the Surface Pro for example are just older devices, and only have lower mimo chips in them, thus they preform far slower.

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WH0A

52 posts

Master Geek

#2405236 23-Jan-2020 12:50

hio77:

Use 5ghz wifi where possible, but things like the Surface Pro for example are just older devices, and only have lower mimo chips in them, thus they preform far slower.

Yes, we're using 5GHz on everything that supports it. Noted re Surface Pro.

BTw, Spark tech support got me to try every 2.4GHz channel, but strangely didn't want me to change any 5GHz channels. However, I played with some different channel settings for 5GHz but it made no difference.

I'm not too worried about that difference between devices, it's the slow speed to even the newest devices (e.g. 2 x iPhone 11 Pro) that is the concern with this device wifi.

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#2405271 23-Jan-2020 14:08

I have fibre and one of the HG659 units. While it worked well for a couple of years it's no longer fit for purpose. I have some WiFi dead spots in the house, and am also hitting the 32 device limit from time to time (and will shortly add a couple more devices). I am now getting grief from the family and need to address these issues. The Smartmodem with one or two mesh extenders on wired backhaul looks like it would do the trick.

I originally got the HG659 when I signed for 12 months, and I am not well outside the 12 month period (so can cancel without penalty).

@hio77: given that you are issuing the smart modem to new customers who sign up for 12 months, if I re-sign for a 12 month period will Spark send me one of the new units? Or do I need to look at moving to a different ISP in order to get something that will give the performance I need?

Also, is there a device limit with the Smartmodem and, if so, does anyone know what it is?

BuzzLightyear

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2413475 6-Feb-2020 10:50

Has anyone noticed some flakiness with DHCP since the .14 build. I’ve had to reset my modem a couple of times over the last week due to various devices not getting a dhcp lease. Win 10, MacBook and IPad. When choosing guest network they all seem fine. A reboot of modem seems to resolve but shouldn’t be necessary.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2413614 6-Feb-2020 11:33

JimmyH:

@hio77: given that you are issuing the smart modem to new customers who sign up for 12 months, if I re-sign for a 12 month period will Spark send me one of the new units? Or do I need to look at moving to a different ISP in order to get something that will give the performance I need?

Also, is there a device limit with the Smartmodem and, if so, does anyone know what it is?

Have a chat with the callcenter and they will be happy to work with you on that :)

Limit is 56 devices on 5Ghz and 32 on 2.4Ghz from memory (i need to go and look up the docs to confirm..)

Simply put it's not the age old 32 hardware limit the hg659b has, and the limits for wifi are abaritierly set to limit contention from pure broadcasts killing the performance...

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2413615 6-Feb-2020 11:34

BuzzLightyear: Has anyone noticed some flakiness with DHCP since the .14 build. I’ve had to reset my modem a couple of times over the last week due to various devices not getting a dhcp lease. Win 10, MacBook and IPad. When choosing guest network they all seem fine. A reboot of modem seems to resolve but shouldn’t be necessary.

Not something i've heard typically, will speak to the team though.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

BuzzLightyear

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2413624 6-Feb-2020 11:38

hio77:

BuzzLightyear: Has anyone noticed some flakiness with DHCP since the .14 build. I’ve had to reset my modem a couple of times over the last week due to various devices not getting a dhcp lease. Win 10, MacBook and IPad. When choosing guest network they all seem fine. A reboot of modem seems to resolve but shouldn’t be necessary.

Not something i've heard typically, will speak to the team though.

Appreciated. Will see how next couple of weeks go.

hio77

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Lizard Networks

#2413633 6-Feb-2020 12:08

BuzzLightyear:

hio77:

BuzzLightyear: Has anyone noticed some flakiness with DHCP since the .14 build. I’ve had to reset my modem a couple of times over the last week due to various devices not getting a dhcp lease. Win 10, MacBook and IPad. When choosing guest network they all seem fine. A reboot of modem seems to resolve but shouldn’t be necessary.

Not something i've heard typically, will speak to the team though.

Appreciated. Will see how next couple of weeks go.

I'm in the process of moving over the next few weeks and likely will be leaving my RB3011 here, so will be using the smart modem and mesh for that time being.

Few internal folk are belting the crap out of these devices on their home connections without issues thus far, but i'd certainly be keen on a log file if it crops up.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

BuzzLightyear

411 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2413689 6-Feb-2020 15:21

@Hio77 Have PM'd sys log files for you if its helpful. I've got smart modem and mesh running now.

Thx

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