Slingshot Modem has 'Fibre' in its name - should it be used in a non-fibre location?

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geekIT

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#288268 17-Jun-2021 14:08

I'm trying to help a neighbor set up his new laptop and Broadband connection.

I've had his laptop online in my home, but I'm not getting connected at his location when I try to connect to his new Slingshot modem.

The first modem they sent wouldn't light the 'Internet' LED.

They sent another which did show the 'Internet light, and the laptop reported a connection, but neither his laptop or mine could browse.

Slingshot are now sending a third modem, but I feel there's something else wrong.

We don't have fibre in our town - is it possible that the modem isn't suitable?

Or needs some specific setting to make it work with regular broadband?

The model is marked 'VDSL/Fibre/Dual Band/AC 1600 Gigabit Gateway VoIP'.

You might ask why I haven't asked Slingshot about this. I have, many times, after many long waits for help.

There's nothing I would say in favor of this IP. I thought Spark was pretty slack but Slingshot makes them look Gold Star.

Apart from any other matters, they didn't even send him an ADSL filter, even though their Sales guy who signed him up, knew full well that he had no mobile phone - just a regular landline, and would therefore need a filter.

So, should this modem work on a non-fibre connection? Or is it just a matter of tuning? There was no included documentation that mentioned this.

Advice appreciated.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

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#2730165 17-Jun-2021 14:17

Hi there,

Really sorry to hear you have had to work so hard to get this one sorted. Could you send us a private message with the account details so we can take a look and get this sorted.

Cheers

www.slingshot.co.nz

www.twitter.com/SlingshotNZ

https://www.facebook.com/SlingshotNZ

SomeoneSomewhere

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#2730168 17-Jun-2021 14:22

By 'regular broadband', I assume you mean some form of ADSL or VDSL? The router has VDSL in its name so presumably supports that, and is probably backwards-compatible with ADSL.

You do need to make sure the incoming phone line is connected to the 'DSL' port, which should be smaller than the standard RJ45 'WAN' or 'Internet' ports.

Can you hunt down a model number or take a picture of the ports?

geekIT

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#2730220 17-Jun-2021 16:31

The ports are pretty conventional- here's a link to the model:

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/MODNCM1059/Netcomm-NF18ACV-ADSLVDSL-Wi-Fi-Modem-Router-with-V

Kinda dismal reviews on PBT, I'll wait and see what our Slingshot friend (above) has to say.

Later Edit: I've just realized I omitted to say that I've only tried connecting via wifi, not ethernet via cable. The latter isn't practicable for the owner, who'll want to use his laptop around the house.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

sbiddle

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#2730384 17-Jun-2021 19:57

Obviously you need to start with basics. The fact the internet light doesn't come on shows there is no connection.

Do you even have DSL sync?

Are Slingshot even doing copper voice lines? I thought all new connections would have been VoIP.

decibel

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#2730386 17-Jun-2021 20:12

Is this a new neighbour? Is there any chance that there is already a master splitter in place and you are trying to plug into a "phone only" jack ?

geekIT

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#2730914 19-Jun-2021 09:54

sbiddle: The second modem from Slingshot actually did show the Internet light, and his laptop did indicate that it was connected. But I still couldn't surf. Yet, back at my place, as soon as I open his laptop, it's online. All I had to do was insert my password. (Spark is my ISP).

Re Slingshot and copper lines, I can't comment. All I know is that Slingshot seemed to be convinced from the get-go that the customer has a mobile phone, which he doesn't, and they don't seem to know what to do about him. Not so the Sales Dept, whose people are more than happy to take his money, and keep telling him soothing words. They're now sending him a third modem.

decibel: No, the neighbor has been there about 8 years, and apparently has been a Slingshot landline customer for all that time. The house is probably 30+ years old, so I don't know about a master splitter. Where would this be located? It'd be more usual in a new home, wouldn't it?

Oh, and BTW, we won't see Fibre in our little deep south cow-town - Otautau - until next year, apparently.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Spyware

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#2730916 19-Jun-2021 10:11

Likelihood of being modem fault is near zero.

Master splitter/filter would most likely be located in ETP (External Termination Point). If one was installed then unfiltered adsl outlet would typically be marked as adsl or it may have an RJ45 socket (rather than BT socket) installed.

You need to start with the basics and log into the modem and determine if adsl sync.

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Spyware

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#2730918 19-Jun-2021 10:16

geekIT:

sbiddle: The second modem from Slingshot actually did show the Internet light, and his laptop did indicate that it was connected. But I still couldn't surf. Yet, back at my place, as soon as I open his laptop, it's online. All I had to do was insert my password. (Spark is my ISP).

Explain what you mean by "insert password". On what?? and into what???, do you mean you tested the neighbours modem at your place???

EDIT: I assume you mean the wifi password??

Testing the modem at your place would make more sense.

geekIT

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#2730925 19-Jun-2021 10:35

Spyware:

geekIT:

sbiddle: The second modem from Slingshot actually did show the Internet light, and his laptop did indicate that it was connected. But I still couldn't surf. Yet, back at my place, as soon as I open his laptop, it's online. All I had to do was insert my password. (Spark is my ISP).

Explain what you mean by "insert password". On what?? and into what???, do you mean you tested the neighbours modem at your place???

EDIT: I assume you mean the wifi password??

Testing the modem at your place would make more sense.

Your assumption is correct. My wifi password.

And testing his modem here would make sense. But if you follow the link (above) to the modem at PBT, the reviews are almost universally bad about its wireless capability.

So I'm about to try one of my old modems at his place.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Spyware

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#2730930 19-Jun-2021 11:04

Not sure what the wifi performance has to do with determining if you have adsl sync. Once you type in wifi password then check if an IP address has been assigned (ifconfig) and then see if you can ping router (the gateway address). Then connect to router and look at the adsl status.

Note: You can sell the Slingshot routers on trademe.

sbiddle

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#2730994 19-Jun-2021 11:50

You still haven't mentioned if you've undertaken the most basic of steps which is to check if you have DSL sync, and secondly connected to the Internet with an IP address.

Once you've done that let us know what the results are and we can go from there - because without knowing the basics it's not possible to offer any other advice.

geekIT

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#2731018 19-Jun-2021 12:48

sbiddle and Spyware:

Thanks, guys, but before I did anything else, I wanted to check that his line is functioning properly. We had a massive disruption here recently when the main street was dug up to replace the water line. At my home we were happily proceeding as normal, ie spending most of our time online, when a friend emailed us to ask why we hadn't answered our phone for a week. Turned out we had broadband but no phone, but hadn't noticed because we don't use the phone much.

I'm not saying my neighbor has the same problem, or that the cause might be similar, but I've just checked his situation with two of my old modems, and both showed broadband lights but no Internet.

Re other tests, I did connect with his second modem (briefly) via 192,168.1.1, but it only connected briefly once. I couldn't do it again, even though I reset it several times.

Re the wifi situation generally with this (Netcom) modem, it seems to me that, all other considerations aside, he might be better off with a model that has better wifi capabilities, even after someone solves what seems to be a line issue.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Spyware

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#2731019 19-Jun-2021 12:53

And did you look at adsl status and determine if it had sync??

geekIT

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#2731068 19-Jun-2021 13:10

Spyware:

And did you look at adsl status and determine if it had sync??

No. My one attempt to inspect the modem's internals ended when I couldn't get in via 192.168.1.1 a second time.

This was via wifi, of course. Sure, I could connect by cable, but I don't see the point of this, because he won't be using cable for future use.

As I said, his laptop connects, instantly, once I enter my wifi password, at my home. This, with a less than spectacular elderly Spark modem.

Ipso facto, if his LT won't connect at his place, IMHO there's some other problem.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

sbiddle

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#2731070 19-Jun-2021 13:14

The simple reality is 3 modems aren't going to be dead. I've deployed hundreds of those Netcomm's and never seen a single one die.

Buying a new router isn't going to fix the problem because fundamentally there are no major issues with the WiFi in them.

Maybe it's time to call in a computer or networking person who understands more? The issues sound more like a local setup issue rather than anything with Slingshot or the hardware, and without knowing the absolute basics such as where there is DSL sync there is basically zero advice anybody else can offer.

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