Best ADSL2 modem on Telecom XTRA

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trakman

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Topic # 100417 11-Apr-2012 12:18

I heard that matching the chipset in the DSLAM with your modem makes a difference, is there any truth to that? seems logical to me.

Meanwhile, is it even worth using the free modem/router they send out for decent speeds?
the Thomson TG582N

What modem-router do you swear by?

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Reply # 607783 11-Apr-2012 12:23

The Telecom supplied Technicolour TG582n (not the Thompson TG585) are pretty good.. So far I haven't heard any bad words about them and has worked seamlessly with PC's & Macs.

http://www.telecom.co.nz/internet/modem/overview

So I would have no issue with recommending them to anyone.

trakman

162 posts

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Reply # 607871 11-Apr-2012 14:57

Okay, I'm hijacking my own thread, lol

what DNS servers are the best to use?

and how is an end-user meant to know if they have UBA (or not)

What are Telecom's DNS server addresses?

UBA Primary 122.56.237.1 ns1.xtra.co.nz
UBA Secondary 210.55.111.1 ns2.xtra.co.nz

New Primary 202.27.158.40 shelob.xtra.co.nz
New Secondary 202.27.156.72 ungoliant.xtra.co.nz

Old Primary 202.27.184.3 alien.xtra.co.nz
Old Secondary 202.27.184.5 terminator.xtra.co.nz

cyril7

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Reply # 607901 11-Apr-2012 15:20

Hi, the modem will be given the correct DNS servers when it connects, so your local HOSTS should just point to the modem/Gateway, alternatively look at the status in the modem and it will tell you.

Cyril

sbiddle

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Reply # 607934 11-Apr-2012 16:38

trakman: Okay, I'm hijacking my own thread, lol

what DNS servers are the best to use?

and how is an end-user meant to know if they have UBA (or not)

I'd take a stab and say ~90% of connections these days are UBA. Before those many were UBS.

Whether they're BUBA or EUBA is another question entirely - if this is what you're actually wanting to ask.

plambrechtsen

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Reply # 607956 11-Apr-2012 17:46

cyril7: Hi, the modem will be given the correct DNS servers when it connects, so your local HOSTS should just point to the modem/Gateway, alternatively look at the status in the modem and it will tell you.

Cyril

What he said. You shouldn't need to touch you modem apart from plugging it in to the power and ADSL. Don't go around changing your username or DNS servers. That all comes off the network and just breaks stuff when you mess around with it.

trakman

162 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 608269 12-Apr-2012 14:41

sage advice, I won't touch those settings!
Lastly, are usernames and passwords still needed?
I remember when I was on another provider (Orcon) I didn't need to enter valid credentials so you could enter 'anything@orcon.net.nz' as the username and anything for the password.

Is this be the same for Telecom Xtra?
Or once my BB is installed, do I need to call up the Helpdesk team to get a username and password set up?

Cheers!

cyril7

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Reply # 608270 12-Apr-2012 14:43

If its EUBA, which a new connection is 99% likely, then no you can put any rubbish in the username/pwd as the authentication is port based not via the PPPoA PAP/CHAP.

Cyril

surfisup1000

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Reply # 608287 12-Apr-2012 14:59

trakman: Okay, I'm hijacking my own thread, lol

what DNS servers are the best to use?

and how is an end-user meant to know if they have UBA (or not)

What are Telecom's DNS server addresses?

UBA Primary 122.56.237.1 ns1.xtra.co.nz
UBA Secondary 210.55.111.1 ns2.xtra.co.nz

New Primary 202.27.158.40 shelob.xtra.co.nz
New Secondary 202.27.156.72 ungoliant.xtra.co.nz

Old Primary 202.27.184.3 alien.xtra.co.nz
Old Secondary 202.27.184.5 terminator.xtra.co.nz

The middle ones, *.40, and *.72.

I set these in the network adapter, since sometimes the modem workload is heavy it can take longer to resolve dns via the modem.

Regarding modems, the draytek vigor 120 is pretty good, as are the telecom 2wires (pick up cheaply from trademe). But, 2wire only works with telecom.

Zeon

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Reply # 608293 12-Apr-2012 15:06

surfisup1000:
trakman: Okay, I'm hijacking my own thread, lol

what DNS servers are the best to use?

and how is an end-user meant to know if they have UBA (or not)

What are Telecom's DNS server addresses?

UBA Primary 122.56.237.1 ns1.xtra.co.nz
UBA Secondary 210.55.111.1 ns2.xtra.co.nz

New Primary 202.27.158.40 shelob.xtra.co.nz
New Secondary 202.27.156.72 ungoliant.xtra.co.nz

Old Primary 202.27.184.3 alien.xtra.co.nz
Old Secondary 202.27.184.5 terminator.xtra.co.nz

The middle ones, *.40, and *.72.

I set these in the network adapter, since sometimes the modem workload is heavy it can take longer to resolve dns via the modem.

Regarding modems, the draytek vigor 120 is pretty good, as are the telecom 2wires (pick up cheaply from trademe). But, 2wire only works with telecom.

Don't want a modem which only works with one provider. get a daytek 120 and if you need to at a later time its pretty easy to bridge it to a good router.

mattwnz

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Reply # 608295 12-Apr-2012 15:06

trakman: sage advice, I won't touch those settings!
Lastly, are usernames and passwords still needed?
I remember when I was on another provider (Orcon) I didn't need to enter valid credentials so you could enter 'anything@orcon.net.nz' as the username and anything for the password.

Is this be the same for Telecom Xtra?
Or once my BB is installed, do I need to call up the Helpdesk team to get a username and password set up?

Cheers!?

You still want to change your wireless broadcast name and its password though,as you don't want people to know what type of router you have got broadcasting around the place.

mattwnz

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Reply # 608297 12-Apr-2012 15:09

Zeon:
surfisup1000:
trakman: Okay, I'm hijacking my own thread, lol

what DNS servers are the best to use??

and how is an end-user meant to know if they have UBA (or not)

What are Telecom's?DNS?server addresses?

UBA?Primary?122.56.237.1 ns1.xtra.co.nz
UBA Secondary?210.55.111.1 ns2.xtra.co.nz

New?Primary?202.27.158.40 shelob.xtra.co.nz
New Secondary?202.27.156.72 ungoliant.xtra.co.nz

Old?Primary?202.27.184.3 alien.xtra.co.nz
Old Secondary?202.27.184.5 terminator.xtra.co.nz

The middle ones, *.40, and *.72.

I set these in the network adapter, since sometimes the modem workload is heavy it can take longer to resolve dns via the modem.?

Regarding modems, the draytek vigor 120 is pretty good, as are the telecom 2wires (pick up cheaply from trademe). But, 2wire only works with telecom.?

?

Don't want a modem which only works with one provider. get a daytek 120 and if you need to at a later time its pretty easy to bridge it to a good router.?

Are they locked to telecom? Can't you get into the settings to change them?

stevenz

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Reply # 608301 12-Apr-2012 15:14

Most modems with a Broadcom chipset in them seem to work well.

The Draytek Vigor 120's are bulletproof little devices though. I think they use Infineon chips. They can operate in fully-bridged mode if you've got a good router to do the DHCP & NAT etc. instead too.

The Thompson units that Telecom used to supply 1-2 years ago are awful, not sure about the newer ones.

My Draytek gives me just under a 17Mbps connection.

@KnightNZ

trakman

162 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 608303 12-Apr-2012 15:22

yeah I wasn't a fan of the older *free* 2wire ones, horrible UI/config :S
keen to see how the new one goes.

cyril7

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Reply # 608310 12-Apr-2012 15:32

Ahhhh, but the UI does not the modem make, I have always refered to the Thompsons as like hoping out of a Toyota and in to an older Citroen, all the right controls are there, they just look odd and in strange places.

Curiously both Thompson and Citroen are French, so maybe a common thing, guess onions will do that.

Cyril

surfisup1000

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Reply # 608312 12-Apr-2012 15:34

mattwnz:

Are they locked to telecom? Can't you get into the settings to change them?

I'm pretty sure they are locked down by telecom firmware (you could try to update firmware).

Negatives are the wifi is A/B/G (not N), and , no built-in ddns if you use that.

Positives are that the 2wire is the fastest and most stable adsl modem I've ever used.

Draytek vigor 120 is also very good, especially if you want just a good quality modem which can pass the external IP address to your lan router. This lets you get a high quality router to do the routing/DHCP/DDNS stuff, and the modem can just be a modem.

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