[staeit]

This is something that bewilders me. I am a new Telus Optik customer, and I noticed something very strange about the installation.

I actually noticed at first because a friend of mine had his modem on top of his modem/router combo, and the heat generated between the two units was probably around 60 deg C. I then noticed that the router was a Dlink BCM96358 (same unit I have) which is a modem/router combo, but the DSL line was not plugged into that but rather a separate modem, and then an ethernet cable from that modem into the Dlink combo unit. I thought to myself "that's stupid", turned off the modem, plugged the DSL line into the Dlink combo unit, unplugged the ethernet WAN port, and rebooted the router. I checked to make sure all services were functioning after (which of course they were) and now the modem/router combo unit functions as a modem/router combo, instead of just a router.

I assumed that the only reason his setup was like that was because he upgraded from regular high speed to Optik and so they changed the router at that point and kept the old modem, and just fed it into the router. But then when I checked at my house, I found that my setup was the exact same! I removed the modem, and allowed my own modem/router combo unit to act as a combo unit as well.

I haven't checked my mother-in-law's or Grandma's place to see if their [new] Optik setups have the same problem, but after googling "Wan DSL Optik" and seeing others report it as "down" (because Wan Ethernet is how the service is entering the router), I am guessing that all installations are done like this.

Anybody have any clue as to why?

 

[WetCardboard]

I have Optik and they installed a Modem/Router combo D-Link "DVA-G3810BN".

I can only assume the reason for the router + modem/router at your friends house is because he switched providers and Telus just plugged their unit into his existing router so he didn't have to program new network settings into all the devices he uses. That or his pre-existing router is an "N" router, opposed to the Telus combo as being only "G". I switched from Shaw and kept using my "N" router which is piggybacking off the Telus modem/router combo because I stream media and it just doesn't work well on the G network even though it should since 54Mbps is plenty for HD video.

 

[staeit]

Umm, I think you may have misread my post. Both mine and my friends' DSL line was plugged into a little black box, which was then connected via Ethernet to the modem/router combo (until I fixed it)

He was previously on Telus, but not with Optik - which is why I assumed Telus set up the modem and modem/router separately, but then when I found out they did the same thing on my setup, it left me wondering. See, the modem/router combo can behave exclusively as a router if a separate modem is used and plugged in via ethernet, but can behave as a router/modem combo if the DSL line is plugged in directly to it (there are two WAN inputs - DSL WAN and Ethernet WAN). I just don't understand why Telus would choose to run modem and router separately when the router they use is also a modem itself.

 

[polaris]

Maybe the separate modem is more robust, or is more locked down.

On the older IPTV Telus supplied a 2Wire unit, which was terrible for handling many connections (eg. Bit Torrent). Run a torrent, and your web browsing would be nearly impossible.

 

[FrostyButters]

The black Alcatel modem is a VDSL modem and the Dlink is just a ADSL2+ modem. If your area ever gets upgraded to VDSL you're service will not work with just the Dlink modem/router. That's the reason behind having the 2 devices. Also the Alcatel seems to be a better DSL modem with less issues.

Rumor has it, that the Actiontec V1000H will be replacing the 2 devices in the near future. The Actiontec is a VDSL modem and also has wireless N and gigabit ethernet.

 

[staeit]

Thanks for the [true] answer dscott01. That makes perfect sense.

I'm in an older neighborhood, and am assuming it pretty unlikely that my area will be getting an upgrade to VDSL anytime soon. Is there some place that indicates plans for that?

And also if there are upgrades to the current hardware (i.e. the Actiontech V1000H) will Telus customers be made aware of it, or be eligible to move to the new hardware? I would definitely not complain if my local network had gigabit ethernet and wireless N...

 

[FrostyButters]

I wouldn't be surprise if VDSL was enabled before the end of the year for most Optik customers. Older neighbourhoods are getting upgraded with VDSL as well.

As far as I know, there's no way to check and see when and if your area will be upgraded to VDSL. My understanding is that all of the new ADSL equipment that has been installed for the past year is VDSL capable and can be changed from ADSL2+ mode to VDSL mode with a couple of clicks of the keyboard from Telus.

The Actiontec modem is just rumored, so its not 100%, but if history is any indication, I would speculate that all new installations going forward (when and if the new modem is released) would have the new modem installed and existing customers would keep their setup, unless they need to have the equipment changed out due to hardware failure.

 

[Dr.Dave]

I can confirm that the Actiontec V1000H modem is being installed at least in the lower mainland. It is used instead of the D-link/ cellpipe modem combo.

http://www.actiontec.com/products/product.php?pid=191

• Gigabit Ethernet WAN support
• Gigabit Ethernet 4 Port Router
• HPNA 3.1 LAN and/or WAN support
• Wireless N Access Point
• Auto fallback to ADSL2 and ADSL2+
• Robust Firewall and Advanced security including stateful packet inspections, denial of service protection, intrusion detection and WPA and WEP wireless encryption
• QoS (Quality of Service)
• TR-069 Remote Management support

 

[WetCardboard]

Hopefully in my area of Edmonton we'll have 25Mbps soon so I can just start using 1 N-Router instead of an N and a G.

 

[mellaby]

Hopefully the new modem will correct all the network problems that the 3810 has.

 

[MrDaniels]

I have the Actiontec installed in my home in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Apparently I am a guinea pig as they are "not" installing them on new install yet. Good device very sleek....wife's work voip phone has issues with it though which are still unresolved.

 

[mellaby]

Can you network wireless devices with wired devices?

 

[Mango]

Yes, you certainly can.

 

[mellaby]

That's great to here. There starting to install these in Calgary. It will be great just to have 1 piece of equipment before all your PC's.

 

[ctown6412]

Im not overly impressed with the Actiontec, right now I can not use it with my current home LAN setup and need to reconfigure everything in the house not set to dhcp as you can not not change the designated local IP address. Also has issues with my Office VoIP phone 4 days now and still cant get the phone to work.

 

[CCTV-nut]

I see by the date of the last post many of you have probably received your answer already.
When I jumped from Shaw to Optik I specifically requested get a seperate VDSL modem and router. Here is my reasoning:
-I have quite an extensive home network. I wanted to seperate the Ethernet streams between my Optik and home network. I have my own personal reasons for this.
-I wish to use my present wireless router instead of the Telus supplied one. This way if there is problems I could substitute another of my routers in place.
-My kids run their XBOX and have been having port issues.
So saying that Telus came in and installed a Siemens VDSL modem and a 8 port SMC ethernet switch.
Port 1 goes to the VDSL modem.
Port 2 runs to my home network wireless router.
Port 3 runs to the Telus supplied D-Link wireless router.
Port 4 runs directly to my kid's XBOX. No port issues to worry about.

The Telus supplied Actiontech and D-Link gateways can be configured either as a single unit in bridged mode where it comes in as ADSL or through the WAN port like a typical off the shelf router in routed mode. YOU MUST REQUEST THIS AT TIME OF INSTALLATION because to change from bridged to routed takes a special TTV username and password.
For the joe average TTV customer this is not an issue because as far as they're concerned an internet connection is just that. The internet comes in on a phone line and the customer has 4 wired and up to 254 wireless connections in theory. For the computer nut that wants to expand their flexibility and run their own equipment one should run the separate component setup.
Seems that when one switches to Optik from ADSL the 2 MAC address limit Telus imposes flies out the window. I have successfully used 6 individual MAC addresses with no blocking.

 

[i6s1]

We used to give public ip addresses to the stbs, and as a result of that config, (as far as I know) optik tv accounts still get 7 public ips. Customers can get up to 6 boxes, plus the router. So changing mac address of your external devices won't be a problem.

 

[bimmerdriver]

What is the model of the siemens modem?