[TelstraClear] can someone please enligthen me

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] can someone please enligthen me

sat

142 posts

Master Geek

#10647 3-Dec-2006 09:31

I have had telstra installed at my House

I am curious why they have installed 2 Cable modems? 1 By the Tv and 1 By the pc?

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#54534 3-Dec-2006 09:44

The TV STB they provided requires to have a return path for PPV booking and interactive features. Why they ordered box's that did not have a return path modem built in, ...crazy.

They also could have ordered boxs that dial via your phone line, instead they purchased boxs with ethernet return paths, thus the second modem.

If they got their act together and provided cable modems with built in NAT routers and a 4port ethernet switch like most ADSL modems now provide (maybe even a Wifi AP) then they would just need to run an ethernet cable between the TV STB and the cable modem.

Cyril

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#54537 3-Dec-2006 11:06

Agreed the modem is annoying. Since I had no room in my cabinet for it (and no spare power outlets without another power bar) I decided to eschew the modem knowing I would not ever purchase PPV and didn't need the programme guide. Well TCL as part of compensating me for bad picture quality has given me 2 PPV free for the next 6 months. And I can't take advantage of it since you can't order the PPV without the modem - can't use the toll free number as you would with the analogue service.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

barf

643 posts

Ultimate Geek

#54620 4-Dec-2006 16:08

If they got their act together and provided cable modems with built in NAT routers and a 4port ethernet switch like most ADSL modems...

I disagree, the fact their modems are a bridge, makes cable a better Internet connection. Little wee boxes that do NAT *cough*d-link*cough* are no comparison to having a globally route-able IP on your PC.

Although having two modems is pretty silly still.

Sniffing the glue holding the Internet together

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#54626 4-Dec-2006 17:04

I disagree, the fact their modems are a bridge, makes cable a better Internet connection. Little wee boxes that do NAT *cough*d-link*cough* are no comparison to having a globally route-able IP on your PC.

Well I dont agree, but hey we both have differnt requirements, so that fine. I think you would be surprised at the number of broadband users that have more than one PC in their home. The likes of DSE do a reasonable trade on NAT routers, its a pity that option was not offered to TCL customers as matter of course.

As for the reliability and performance of little NAT box's, I cannot comment on the D-Link ones, and there does seem to be some issues regards their performence, but their are plenty of other brands that put in sterling performance day in and out.

Cyril

barf

643 posts

Ultimate Geek

#54628 4-Dec-2006 17:35

I like the DSE-rebranded ADSL modem-routers they are a long shot better than those d-links! They support PPP half-bridge :-)

Sorry for my pet-hate of NAT-devices - it's not without reason. I have always just used PCs with multiple NICs to do NAT, reason being a $15 network card is cheaper and better than almost any router. At home I have a NAT-capable ADSL modem-router (similar to DSE XH1179) but instead use a PC to do the NAT because I use amule and bittorrent. These applications can quickly exhaust the RAM used for connection tracking in small devices (d-links are a good example of this with only 8MB RAM which equals less than 500 simultaneous connections - sometimes a single torrent can overload them). But I definately see your point re multiple PCs in a home and agree that using a NAT-modem-router is ideal for most home Internet users.

Sorry for taking this off topic!

Sniffing the glue holding the Internet together

lchiu7

6476 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#54637 4-Dec-2006 19:19

cyril7:
I disagree, the fact their modems are a bridge, makes cable a better Internet connection. Little wee boxes that do NAT *cough*d-link*cough* are no comparison to having a globally route-able IP on your PC.

Well I dont agree, but hey we both have differnt requirements, so that fine. I think you would be surprised at the number of broadband users that have more than one PC in their home. The likes of DSE do a reasonable trade on NAT routers, its a pity that option was not offered to TCL customers as matter of course.

As for the reliability and performance of little NAT box's, I cannot comment on the D-Link ones, and there does seem to be some issues regards their performence, but their are plenty of other brands that put in sterling performance day in and out.

Cyril

Interestingly on a recent US trip I saw a number of cable modems available for purchase ($39 was cheapest!). I saw Motorola (like the ones TCL uses), Linksys and D-Link and none of them had routers in them (or switches for that matter).

As for D-link, well I use as D-link DI-704 router for a number of years on DSL connections in Hong Kong and then cable modem here and it worked just fine.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

sat

142 posts

Master Geek

#54645 4-Dec-2006 21:58

Thanks for your replies everyone

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#54669 5-Dec-2006 08:38

Guys, FYI.

Motorola Home Gateway

or a more uptodate 802.11g version

Newer home gateway

Cheers
Cyril