IOL BB - Is the Zyxel modem any good?

vibe666

thinking of getting BB and don't know if I can wait for IBB to put up their next antenna for me to be in range.

my options:

1. IBB: wait for IBB to get things moving and get on their bandwagon.

2. €ircon: Swallow my pride and hand my soul over to the rat and get a crappy cap, but the best DSL modem going (netopia).

3. IOL: Be tempted by the 8gb cap (:rolleyes: it's amazing how so little can seem tempting when ther eis little else) but end up with a modem I am unsure of, but suspect is going to be a pig.

4. Move to Sweden/Holland.

Seriously though, what's the Zyxel modem like? I know it's just got a USB connection on it, but if it's a capped service and I get lower speeds from it than I would with a decent ethernet modem then it's going to mean I'm going to go over the cap less than I would otherwise.

Anyone have any thoughts on all this?

Should I go for the IOL offer?

Is the Zyxel any good or not?

I've heard their CS (customer service, not counterstrike:p) is pretty good.

What happens if I pull out in less than a year? Will I get a huge bill?

Redshift

I have a Zyxel Prestige 643 and it's never given me any bother at all. Don't know what IOL are giving out though I got mine from Eircom.

tomk

I'm using the same modem with UTV, until I get my router up and running, and it's fine for what it is i.e. the cheapest possible piece of ADSL kit available. I currently run it into a Win98 box which does the routing for my network, and I'm getting good speeds. I haven't had any particular issues with it - the driver installed fine, the thing synced up fine, etc. Anything else you need to know, just ask.

[edit]
Redshift got in just before me there - the IOL/UTV box is the 630-11, just so you know.
[/edit]

_Kaiser_

TomK..if I may ask - what sort of speeds are you getting (now that the recent issues have "supposedly" been solved) - I'm still not getting any more than 20K/sec most evenings - LESS in most cases - and before I try AGAIN to have this solved, I'd just like a comparison if you'd be so kind thanks...

Ripwave

Originally posted by vibe666
Seriously though, what's the Zyxel modem like? I know it's just got a USB connection on it, but if it's a capped service and I get lower speeds from it than I would with a decent ethernet modem

You're not going to notice any performance difference between an ethernet and a USB modem.

(Maybe if you're running a P90 with 24MB of RAM with Win98SE and a USB port on a PCI card, you just might notice a difference).

tomk

Originally posted by Kaiser2000
TomK..if I may ask - what sort of speeds are you getting

At the weekend, I was getting 50k/sec + consistently from the Irish Debian mirror, which suited me just fine. In case it's relevant, I'm on the 282 exchange, in Bray.

PaulMagrath

IOL give out the ZyXEL Prestige 630-11, I've been using it for nearly 3 months now. No problem getting speeds of between 50 and 60kilobits per second. Only annoyance is that it sometimes drops the connection during a reboot or if it the computer is turned off for a while - no biggie.

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by PaulMagrath
Only annoyance is that it sometimes drops the connection during a reboot or if it the computer is turned off for a while - no biggie.

It's just a modem, that'll happen if you reboot.

BKtje

You're not going to notice any performance difference between an ethernet and a USB modem.

Download speed wise i dont believe there is much of a difference.

There is a difference in ping however as USB takes up cpu power and while gaming this will mean more for your pc to do which means slight increase in ping and lower fps if its a games with fancy graphics. (the amount of performance loss depends on the pc and game of course )

PaulMagrath

Originally posted by Frank_Grimes
It's just a modem, that'll happen if you reboot.

Yeah - that's what you'd think except 50% of the time, it maintains the connection (to the server, not the net).

I think it is caused by having a continous power supply thanks to the USB hub.

vibe666

It's just a modem, that'll happen if you reboot.

for one, any dsl modem should maintain the connection to the BAS whether it's connected to a PC or not, as long as there is power going to it.

and for two, it's not a modem at all. to save myself typing a long explanation and then have it picked apart by someone even more geeky myself, the Hyperdictionary has this to say about it:

Definition:
(Modulator/demodulator) An electronic device for converting between serial data (typically EIA-232) from a computer and an audio signal suitable for transmission over a telephone line connected to another modem. In one scheme the audio signal is composed of silence (no data) or one of two frequencies representing zero and one.

sorry top be a smart hole, but I'm like that every now and again.

well, when I can be, anyway. (making the most of it obviously as it doesn't happen that often).:p

Snowbat

Originally posted by vibe666
and for two, it's not a modem at all. to save myself typing a long explanation and then have it picked apart by someone even more geeky myself, the Hyperdictionary has this to say about it:

Definition:
(Modulator/demodulator) An electronic device for converting between serial data (typically EIA-232) from a computer and an audio signal suitable for transmission over a telephone line connected to another modem. In one scheme the audio signal is composed of silence (no data) or one of two frequencies representing zero and one.

How does that make it not a modem?
USB/ethernet=serial data
Audio signal=see definition for ultrasonic

hudson806

Originally posted by vibe666
for one, any dsl modem should maintain the connection to the BAS whether it's connected to a PC or not, as long as there is power going to it.

Not usually, in the case of USB modems, as the syncing function partly takes place in the software driver loaded onto the PC.

(I'm assuming that when you say BAS you meant to say DSLAM, as only a router can maintain a connection to a BAS when the PC is powered off)

yellabelly

When is a modem free?
With UTV and IOL the USB modem appears to be just on loan. With Eircom the modem is free after the contract period (according to the small print). Does the Zyxel support Linux?

vibe666

right here we go.:rolleyes: this is what I didn't want to get into, but such is the way of things.

well maybe I wasn't right, but with a bit of luck one way or another we can get it all cleared up and all learn something in the process.

this is how it was explained to me (apologies if this sounds like kindergarten, but for the sake of trying to keep things simple).

the name modem comes from the MODulation/DEModulation of the signal sent/received over a phone line, i.e. changing the digital signal from the PC to an analogue one for transmission as audio along the phone line.

Modulation (electronics) the transmission of a signal by using it to vary a carrier wave; changing the carrier's amplitude or frequency or phase

from ISDN upwards this signal stays digital from the PC to the exchange and as such is not modulated/demodulated to and from an analogue signal, so the device that sends the data is not technically a modem, which is why the correct name for an ISDN device is a TA (terminal adapter) not a modem.

since DSL devices are based on that idea (but using higher frequencies) they are not modems either because the signal is not converted into something else and then converted back again at the other end.

am I making any sense? am I even right? any chance of someone a bit smarter than me backing me up? or am I just wrong (again). :rolleyes:

the other thing was, yeah, i got the DSLAM and BAS confused (too many acronyms) but i was told that they are now using an ASAM which is slightly different from a DSLAM in a few ways and allows greater flexability than the older DSLAM's did (just talking about the rat now, I don't know about the other guys). is this right?

BKtje

There is some sort of modulation/demodulation taking place for most (all?) internet connections.

ISDN although the signal is mainly digital it isnt a 'clean' one so some is Modulation/demodulation is required. Same sort of thing with DSL and cable.

Strictly speaking i believe only 56k (and below) should be called a modem. ISDN "modem" is known as a Terminal Adapter but i dont know what DSL/Cable "modems" are called.

mo·dem ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mdm)

n. A device for transmitting usually digital data over telephone wires by modulating the data into an audio signal to send it and demodulating an audio signal into data to receive it.

Im far from an expert so im sure someone can explain it beter than i (or even google if u have the patience).

I believe modem is used as its easy for non tech people to understand that this box that now sits there does a similar job to their 56k modem

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by vibe666
for one, any dsl modem should maintain the connection to the BAS whether it's connected to a PC or not, as long as there is power going to it.

When he said drop the connection, I thought he meant the internet connection.
Those modems will most likely loose their synch on a reboot seeing as their powered via USB.

but i was told that they are now using an ASAM which is slightly different from a DSLAM in a few ways and allows greater flexability than the older DSLAM's did (just talking about the rat now, I don't know about the other guys). is this right?

They've always used ASAMs.

vibe666

Originally posted by Frank_Grimes
Those modems will most likely loose their synch on a reboot seeing as their powered via USB.

Does the Zyxel not have it's own power then? seems a bit cheap.

They've always used ASAMs.

do you know the difference? It was only explained to me that eircom took the decision to use ASAM's instead(?) of DSLAM's as they are a newer more versatile technology and better suited to the rat's vision of broadband in Ireland.

Frank Grimes

Originally posted by vibe666
Does the Zyxel not have it's own power then?

Not the USB one, a lot of USB stuff power themselves via USB.

do you know the difference? It was only explained to me that eircom took the decision to use ASAM's instead(?) of DSLAM's as they are a newer more versatile technology and better suited to the rat's vision of broadband in Ireland.

Not sure if there's a huge difference.
Alcatel make the things (ASAM = ADSL Subscriber Access Multiplexer), afaik they're the same as DSLAMs - just a different name.

tomk

Originally posted by yellabelly
Does the Zyxel support Linux?

There's a recently-developed driver here. I've no idea if it works or not. The developer is Spanish, and the latest documentation is in Spanish, and seems to deal with PPPoA setup, rather than PPPoE, as used here. If you're feeling adventurous, give it a try and let us know how it goes.