Cool will leave it as it is in the next few weeks to see if it behaves as it should :p

CrashAndBurn:

 

Cool will leave it as it is in the next few weeks to see if it behaves as it should :p

 

Every person that complained when we activated here and supplied me with their modem information, i was able to go into the logs and confirm without a doubt it was working perfectly.

I'm someone who runs a set of Enterprise AP's at home, with bandsteering and locked SSID's, I'm also looking at moving and leaving those AP's there and not putting my spares up but just using the smart modem and Mesh as Ethernet AP's.

Can someone tell me if the Smart Mesh is as powerful as the Smart modem?   

We have an old house with lathe and plaster walls, and currently I use a combo of Airport Extreme and Airport Express, all on Wired backhaul on a single SSID. While it works remarkably well, devices don't always roam as expected, and I am sure the coverage of the Spark setup as well as the handoff, would be much better for coverage than these ageing APs. Would it make any difference to put the Smart Modem in the centre of the house up high for best coverage and the Mesh units in the current dead spots (all wired), or would a MESH unit in the centre up high be just as good with the Smart modem on the periphery? Our fibre comes into the house in the corner of the basement, so it is a bit easier to put the Smart modem down there, but not impossible to mount it in the centre ceiling as I have got return ethernet to my patch panel.

thanks

Peter

PJ48:

 

Can someone tell me if the Smart Mesh is as powerful as the Smart modem?   

 

 

 

We have an old house with lathe and plaster walls, and currently I use a combo of Airport Extreme and Airport Express, all on Wired backhaul on a single SSID. While it works remarkably well, devices don't always roam as expected, and I am sure the coverage of the Spark setup as well as the handoff, would be much better for coverage than these ageing APs. Would it make any difference to put the Smart Modem in the centre of the house up high for best coverage and the Mesh units in the current dead spots (all wired), or would a MESH unit in the centre up high be just as good with the Smart modem on the periphery? Our fibre comes into the house in the corner of the basement, so it is a bit easier to put the Smart modem down there, but not impossible to mount it in the centre ceiling as I have got return ethernet to my patch panel.

 

 

 

thanks

 

Peter

 

Based on your explanation, Probably 2 meshes are more suited (just finger in the air thoughts though)

the Wifi in the Mesh unit is essnetially identical. (one Chipset doesnt do the 'TurboQAM' - that's not an offical spec and doesnt make much of a differance really.)

As you have wired backhaul, i'd still reuse this.

The Smart Mesh and Smart Modem will use Wired backhaul where possible for Obvious reasons.

hio77:

 

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... 

 

Thanks for that. I might drop into the Spark store near me tomorrow to have a look at the unit, and a chat about signing for another 12 months to get one.

The WiFi device counts look more than adequate, as I’m trying to wire everything that I can. Particularly units dealing with streaming video (Chromecasts, Plex server), and I have also ordered some cheap wired ethernet adapters for my Google Home Minis. Can you advise what the total maximum connected devices (ie wired and wireless combined)? Aside from the incomplete WiFi coverage, it’s the 32 total device limit on the HG659 that’s causing me my issues.

One issue is only 4 gigabit ports, with one apparently having to be used for the ONT. Which gives me one fewer device connection that at present. Which is a problem as I have 4 wired devices + the ONT connected at present (desktop, NAS, second NAS, powerline adapter). Unless I can solve this, preferably without adding another switch into the mix, I may have to go with another unit like the TP-Link Router that has 8 ethernet ports.

I’m also wondering whether the Ubiquiti Aircube might be a better call than the Spark mesh units as my APs. They have a couple of additional gigabit ports that would let me connect wired devices as well as using them as an AP, letting me get rid of 2-3 of the switches I have around the house, and simplifying cabling & powerpoint usage.

Hey all,

Just came across a weird problem trying to add a port mapping entry.  I already have a couple of port mappings, and trying to add a new one for port 8081.  When I do I get an error:

"Please exclude the public port number 8081 because the port is occupied by TR-069"

I have NO IDEA what this is.  Is it some sort of remote management port to the Smart modem?  Anyone successfully managed to map 8081?

timbosan:

 

Hey all,

Just came across a weird problem trying to add a port mapping entry.  I already have a couple of port mappings, and trying to add a new one for port 8081.  When I do I get an error:

"Please exclude the public port number 8081 because the port is occupied by TR-069"

I have NO IDEA what this is.  Is it some sort of remote management port to the Smart modem?  Anyone successfully managed to map 8081?

 

You will have to use another port. 8081 is used by our remote management callbacks (Access isnt allowed outside of our network to be clear before anyone jumps on security)

Exactly the same exists on all other spark modems.

hio77:

 

timbosan:

 

Hey all,

Just came across a weird problem trying to add a port mapping entry.  I already have a couple of port mappings, and trying to add a new one for port 8081.  When I do I get an error:

"Please exclude the public port number 8081 because the port is occupied by TR-069"

I have NO IDEA what this is.  Is it some sort of remote management port to the Smart modem?  Anyone successfully managed to map 8081?

 

 

You will have to use another port. 8081 is used by our remote management callbacks (Access isnt allowed outside of our network to be clear before anyone jumps on security)

 

Exactly the same exists on all other spark modems.

 

So, after reading this interesting thread I was keen to try out a Spark Smart Modem.

Mainly to see if my 5GHz WiFi was stronger at the far end of my house.... I have not tested the data throughput...

Pleased with an extra 10dB more WiFi signal than with my HG659.

I am on an Orcon 900/450 fibre contract with another 5 months to go.

My notes:

Generaly a nice user interface for setting up.

Have the FON SSID issue on WiFi even though I have changed the 2.4GHz SSID.

Stuffed up the admin login 5 times and found I had a countdown of 3600 seconds before I could try again. Quicker to do a factory reset and set up my stuff again.

NTP server is pointing to either time1(or2).telecom.co.nz not too worried about that. No option for a user assigned NTP server.

Orcon use WAN IPoE. I used AutomaticIP also tried PPPoE(default). It did not seem to matter which I used.

Had to Enable AutoIP for IPv6.

IPv6 data appeared for a brief time then disappeared. IPv6 data returned when I used my HG659 again.

In Overview - Network - Status, I could see the IPv6  /128 and a /64 assignment. I should have seen a /56 assignment. No IPv6 DNSes appeared.

Router details VRV9517 S/W v 6.00.06 build 01. H/W R01.

v6.00.15 build05 has been pushed out (yesterday morning)

this is mainly just a few bug fixes, but there is one key feature added. PPPoE to PPPoA Translation is now possible - yes, you don't NEED a draytek to do that now ;)

was using the spark std modem for a long time and on the max 900 fiber plan i was struggling to get 40-60 mpbs,

upgraded to smart modem yday and speeds now at around 80 mbps , so almost double and on the laptop i can get around 250 ( previously say 50-80 mbps )

so wanted to post my feedback here for spark, good job , hopefully in near future you will bring up with powerfull modems which will bring values closed to promised..

graham007:

 

was using the spark std modem for a long time and on the max 900 fiber plan i was struggling to get 40-60 mpbs,

 

upgraded to smart modem yday and speeds now at around 80 mbps , so almost double and on the laptop i can get around 250 ( previously say 50-80 mbps )

 

so wanted to post my feedback here for spark, good job , hopefully in near future you will bring up with powerfull modems which will bring values closed to promised..

 

I presume all your speeds are over WiFi? Certainly the new modem is better than the 659 in terms of WiFi performance but there are no guarantees on WiFi throughput performance due to the very nature of WiFi. If you would like to see access speeds in line with the service description, then you need to use wired gig ethernet on a reasonably powerful and well set up computer.

Cheers - N