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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#2320239 19-Sep-2019 11:36

Hi @hio77. I just had a quick peek at the start up guide in the link: https://www.spark.co.nz/content/dam/telecomcms/Hero-images/internet/Spark%20Smart%20Modem%20QSG_Final%20Print.pdf

It's missing the browser address to login to the modem. Is it still 192.168.1.254 like your other modems? Can the WPS button be disabled in the modem settings? And can the wifi name and wifi password be changed? Also wanting to check if the modem has a built in firewall. Thanks!

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#2320245 19-Sep-2019 11:40

catspyjamas:

Hi hio77. I just had a quick peek at the start up guide in the link: https://www.spark.co.nz/content/dam/telecomcms/Hero-images/internet/Spark%20Smart%20Modem%20QSG_Final%20Print.pdf

It's missing the browser address to login to the modem. Is it still 192.168.1.254 like your other modems?

Yup. i believe there is also a short dns, will double check with the folk.

catspyjamas:

Can the WPS button be disabled in the modem settings?

Yes, this is actually disabled by default.

catspyjamas:

And can the wifi name and wifi password be changed?

Absolutely, i recommend keeping the band-steering on though!

catspyjamas:

Also wanting to check if the modem has a built in firewall. Thanks!

Yes Ofcourse! it's a full RGW device.

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catspyjamas

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#2320251 19-Sep-2019 11:58

Thanks @hio77. Good to know. I'm plenty happy with my HG659b at the moment as does everything I need (in spite of it's senior years), but might be getting this one if/when I switch to fibre.

hio77

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#2320264 19-Sep-2019 12:03

catspyjamas:

Thanks @hio77. Good to know. I'm plenty happy with my HG659b at the moment as does everything I need (in spite of it's senior years), but might be getting this one if/when I switch to fibre.

Yup, as cool as the new device is, the HG659b is still a really solid preformer.

It's mainly fibre max customers and larger familys where this device will be all that much different, particularly on copper.

Kinda a testament to hauwei for designing such a solid device, it lasted a good 5 years with not really that many downsides.

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cooljoo

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#2320832 20-Sep-2019 00:43

Upgraded to the Unplan Entertainment Plan 12 for the free Netflix and free router.

Had to resign for 12 months.

Needed the free Netflix since travelling to US on Saturday.

Will set up the new smart router when I get back ha.

nickbrooker

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#2321011 20-Sep-2019 10:47

The new one holds up well on Fibre with 900/500 like the HG659b but better on WiFi with my phone getting 230-250Mb where this was more like 180 on the HG659b.

Much like the HG659b though it has a simple interface and lacks geek knobs so got replaced pretty quickly. It has one light that is red if not conencted to the internet and green if it is.

One odd thing (that 99% of people won't care about) is the power conenctor is an odd size. We have a PC power supply with a bunch of 12V plugs powering most things but this one does not fit the two sizes that fit everything else (from Cisco to Huawei)

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#2321030 20-Sep-2019 11:10

nickbrooker:

One odd thing (that 99% of people won't care about) is the power conenctor is an odd size. We have a PC power supply with a bunch of 12V plugs powering most things but this one does not fit the two sizes that fit everything else (from Cisco to Huawei

Power bricks can be an absolute PIA. When we got fibre installed, we had an electrician install a double power point where we wanted the ONT and Router in the office wardrobe. Now this was a standard HPM double power point but I still had to use a vertical double adapter to lift one of the power bricks up as they both would not sit next to each other.

Ikea also has very large 3 pin power bricks for their lighting systems.

At least Apple has got it right why can not other electronic manufactures do the same ⁉️

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

geekIT

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#2321184 20-Sep-2019 13:38

I hate to ask this newbie-ish question in the company of telecommunication experts, but here goes:

My modem is an antique Telecom TG582n. It's still working OK and does everything we want, on our ultra-slow ADSL broadband connection (max 2.4MB\s dl).

But, a) the modem could fall over any day and b) there's talk of fibre coming to our backwoods hamlet eventually, so I guess I should be looking for another device.

I can probably purchase the latest Spark offering at a slight discount, being a long-standing customer, but there may be other modems that offer more for less?

Suggestions welcome.

EDIT: I should mention that I'd prefer NOT to use a modem that relies solely on a wireless connection to Spark. In other words, I'm perfectly happy with a wired phone line and a modem to suit.

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hio77

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#2321318 20-Sep-2019 15:52

nickbrooker:

The new one holds up well on Fibre with 900/500 like the HG659b but better on WiFi with my phone getting 230-250Mb where this was more like 180 on the HG659b.

Sounds like your phone might only support 2x2 wifi :) it only gets better from there!

nickbrooker

Much like the HG659b though it has a simple interface and lacks geek knobs so got replaced pretty quickly. It has one light that is red if not conencted to the internet and green if it is.

Per the quick start guide, it has alot more colours than that.

The concept was to have a basic and simple option, that's not a Christmas tree... something about customer's not liking lights? i recall plenty of onts with jumpers and blankets over them...

What sort of "Knobs" are you after there? the UI is not in it's final state, that's an initial build with a more spark centric UI being pushed out later.

nickbrooker

One odd thing (that 99% of people won't care about) is the power conenctor is an odd size. We have a PC power supply with a bunch of 12V plugs powering most things but this one does not fit the two sizes that fit everything else (from Cisco to Huawei)

So as someone who did a fair bit of testing with units, this did bother me. i actually at one stage spliced in the cable into a normal 12V supply (was a international plug and i was getting annoyed with converters...)

It does make it simple though to ensure you use the correct power supply with the correct device.

I've seen many situations where people just plug anything that fits in. then you end up with a 12V modem that expects 2.5A suddenly with a 14V 1A supply and wondering why it's not quite functioning right.... Double edge sword?

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hio77

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#2321319 20-Sep-2019 15:55

geekIT:

I hate to ask this newbie-ish question in the company of telecommunication experts, but here goes:

My modem is an antique Telecom TG582n. It's still working OK and does everything we want, on our ultra-slow ADSL broadband connection (max 2.4MB\s dl).

But, a) the modem could fall over any day and b) there's talk of fibre coming to our backwoods hamlet eventually, so I guess I should be looking for another device.

I can probably purchase the latest Spark offering at a slight discount, being a long-standing customer, but there may be other modems that offer more for less?

Suggestions welcome.

EDIT: I should mention that I'd prefer NOT to use a modem that relies solely on a wireless connection to Spark. In other words, I'm perfectly happy with a wired phone line and a modem to suit.

the TG582n isnt a bad modem, i still love them for bridging. However, they really dont have the grunt - personally on my at the time i was using them 12mbit adsl lines, it failed at everything but bridging. I do have a network that often has a large utilized NAT table though.

end of the day though, if it works for you why change it?

This device is not a 4G Fixed wireless one.

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

cbrpilot

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#2321434 20-Sep-2019 16:30

geekIT:

My modem is an antique Telecom TG582n. It's still working OK and does everything we want, on our ultra-slow ADSL broadband connection (max 2.4MB\s dl).

But, a) the modem could fall over any day and b) there's talk of fibre coming to our backwoods hamlet eventually, so I guess I should be looking for another device.

If you upgrade to Spark Fibre when it becomes available it's likely we'd send you a new router as part of your Fibre install anyway.

So long as the TG582n keeps tracking on that may not be a bad strategy.

My views are my own, and may not necessarily represent those of my employer.

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nickbrooker

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Master Geek
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#2321629 20-Sep-2019 21:53

hio77:

nickbrooker:

The new one holds up well on Fibre with 900/500 like the HG659b but better on WiFi with my phone getting 230-250Mb where this was more like 180 on the HG659b.

Sounds like your phone might only support 2x2 wifi :) it only gets better from there!

Might even be 1x1 but 4x4 from an ISP supplied router is pretty insane! Shame it's not ax but that's still pricey.

The concept was to have a basic and simple option, that's not a Christmas tree... something about customer's not liking lights? i recall plenty of onts with jumpers and blankets over them...

What sort of "Knobs" are you after there? the UI is not in it's final state, that's an initial build with a more spark centric UI being pushed out later.

It's reassuring to see LAN/WAN and WiFi LEDs flashing away.

Be nice to have things like Wifi "speed" and how wide the channel is. A simple traffic monitor with bps history. Maybe an advanced checkbox to give you more detail on things or a CLI.

I work for a hardware vendor so we love logs and debugs.

geekIT

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#2321836 21-Sep-2019 09:20

hio77: the TG582n isnt a bad modem, i still love them for bridging. However, they really dont have the grunt - personally on my at the time i was using them 12mbit adsl lines, it failed at everything but bridging. I do have a network that often has a large utilized NAT table though.

end of the day though, if it works for you why change it?

This device is not a 4G Fixed wireless one.

My TG582n is a replacement - the original fell over a few years ago. It's entirely possible this could happen again, methinks.

So I'm talking emergency backup, really.

There are many HG630b's going very cheap on TM - any problems with this model?

Trump crowned? No faux King way!

nickbrooker

56 posts

Master Geek
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#2321846 21-Sep-2019 09:36

geekIT:

hio77: the TG582n isnt a bad modem, i still love them for bridging. However, they really dont have the grunt - personally on my at the time i was using them 12mbit adsl lines, it failed at everything but bridging. I do have a network that often has a large utilized NAT table though.

end of the day though, if it works for you why change it?

This device is not a 4G Fixed wireless one.

My TG582n is a replacement - the original fell over a few years ago. It's entirely possible this could happen again, methinks.

So I'm talking emergency backup, really.

There are many HG630b's going very cheap on TM - any problems with this model?

HG659b has some listings for $20-$30 or so and adds 5Ghz Wifi with 802.11ac (866 or 1300 Mb) and will fill a 1Gb fibre link on a cable. Does ADSL/VDSL/Fibre.

michaelmurfy

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#2321870 21-Sep-2019 10:40

@geekIT I've got a box of them if you want one. Just pay shipping.

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