UPC - Modem only?

J-blk · 17-12-2009 11:27am #1

Hey everyone,

I've been with UPC for years now, no major complaints but this week I've noticed my connection behaving erratically. It slows down to a complete crawl but if I unplug the modem, resetting it in effect, I'm back to full speed and everything works ok. This had happened before, but after a reset, my connection would be fine for weeks. In the last week, it's happening every couple of days - so I think my modem is finally dying and I'll need to get UPC to replace it.

The problem is I have one of the "ancient" NTL 250 modems - no router or anything and I'm happy with that. I have an Apple Airport Extreme as my router and my setup works great for me so all I want from UPC is just a bog standard modem.

And that's my question: do UPC supply "just" a modem these days? If not, do the routers they provide support working as modems only and nothing more? Thanks in advance.

Richard Dower · 17-12-2009 12:00pm

The UPS Cisco modem has WiFi + Ethernet....you can connect two phones direct to it.

jor el · 17-12-2009 12:01pm

I got a modem only, and separate router, about 3 months ago. If you get under 10Mbps, they don't give you a free router, and if you don't pay for one then it'll be a modem only.

J-blk · 17-12-2009 12:20pm

Richard Dower wrote: »

The UPS Cisco modem has WiFi + Ethernet....you can connect two phones direct to it.

You have their router - which is exactly what I want to avoid. The problem is that if you can't turn off all routing functions on it (which on some of them you can't), when you connect the second router, it screws things up. Being able to connect phones up has nothing to do with it. But thanks for the info.

jor el wrote: »

I got a modem only, and separate router, about 3 months ago. If you get under 10Mbps, they don't give you a free router, and if you don't pay for one then it'll be a modem only.

That's great - just what I wanted to know. I have the 20Mbps but I'll specifically mention that I want a modem only - shouldn't be a problem if they are still supplying them anyway. For some reason, I thought they had done away with the simple cable modems completely.

J-blk · 21-12-2009 10:43am

Well, my modem officially died yesterday - can't load anything at all though oddly enough Skype shows me as logged in (but calls fail), MSN dead, LogMeIn sees all my computers as off line...

Called UPC and after going through the hoops of "yes, I've re-started the modem, blah, blah, blah", the girl on the line said a fault was coming up and it probably was (my 5 year old) modem... and then she said another department would have to call me back within 24 hours and they'll arrange a replacement. Is this normal or a fob off?

I'm really hoping to not be left with no access over Christmas... I know UPC modems have to be registered on the network, etc but what happens if you borrow a UPC modem from someone that has the 3Mbps product (I have the 20Mbps) - does that even work?

oozler · 21-12-2009 10:56am

J-Blk, where in Dublin are you located because I have been having connectivity problems with UPC since 7pm last night (possibly earlier but I wasn't home) - in Stepaside. And my modem is only 6 months old so don't think it's that... was wondering was it at their end...

J-blk · 21-12-2009 11:15am

I'm in Stepaside too... thought it was my modem though since I have had problems for a few weeks now (though resetting always worked) and the girl on the support line didn't even seem to mention a problem in my area? Hmmm....

flodis79 · 21-12-2009 3:01pm

J-blk wrote: »

Well, my modem officially died yesterday - can't load anything at all though oddly enough Skype shows me as logged in (but calls fail), MSN dead, LogMeIn sees all my computers as off line...

Called UPC and after going through the hoops of "yes, I've re-started the modem, blah, blah, blah", the girl on the line said a fault was coming up and it probably was (my 5 year old) modem... and then she said another department would have to call me back within 24 hours and they'll arrange a replacement. Is this normal or a fob off?

I'm really hoping to not be left with no access over Christmas... I know UPC modems have to be registered on the network, etc but what happens if you borrow a UPC modem from someone that has the 3Mbps product (I have the 20Mbps) - does that even work?

hmm it all comes down to which service you are subscribed to over your coax... The service is not in the router but in the wires.

J-blk · 21-12-2009 3:27pm

Yes, I thought that (I never for a minute thought you would get 20Mbps from a 3Mbps configured line if you swap modems for example) but I didn't know if you actually swap legit UPC modems with a friend or if their configuration prevents you from doing that? I assume from your post that you mean you can swap them just fine?

It seems my connection is working again and based on Oozler's post, it must have been a problem with my general area after all. I still hope to get them to replace the modem though because it definitely has been acting wonky lately anyway...

oozler · 21-12-2009 3:49pm

Yeah I doubt it's a coincidence we're both in Stepaside then. I'll hopefully see that my service is back online this evening then. I tried to remotely connect to my disk at home earlier and I could, suggesting it is back, but it was intermittent this morning before I left home.

J-blk · 21-12-2009 4:11pm

Mine was completely dead earlier but now I can connect via LogMeIn just fine - I started a download on the machine at home and it was clocking in at around 2MB down so seems I'm back to full speed. So it does seem it was something affecting the area yesterday/today after all.

Fair play to UPC though, I did get that call back after all and they've scheduled an engineer to come out and check the modem out/replace it (hopefully).

Bazzy · 21-12-2009 4:53pm

There is a standard modem available will get a link to it and post it up for you

netbeatz · 22-12-2009 5:54pm

J-blk wrote: »

I'm really hoping to not be left with no access over Christmas... I know UPC modems have to be registered on the network, etc but what happens if you borrow a UPC modem from someone that has the 3Mbps product (I have the 20Mbps) - does that even work?

Just for future reference, yep you can borrow your friends modem and it will work on your line, however, you will only get whatever speed they are paying for. I had to do it before after my modem died, used the mother in laws...worked perfect till i got my replacement.

JBUCD · 23-12-2009 1:55am

My setup has being the UPC modem hooked up to my Belkin Router. Recently I had a problem with them and they replaced my box and I just got a modem (I have 20meg but they prob gave me the modem since I already have a router.) Thank Jesus I dont want that Cisco junk. Although have to say there customer support was acctually brilliant. Came out to me in a week and after I got it repaired they even phone me up days later asking me if I was still having any problems. Hopefully they changed there terrible customer support ways.

J-blk · 24-12-2009 10:12pm

Thanks for the input lads - Netbeatz, it seems a bit odd that the speed is defined by the modem rather than the line but if it works, it's a solution if it dies on me completely over Christmas...

JBUCD, yep, I've found the customer service to be much improved too. When they originally said they would call me back, I didn't think they would but they did and got everything arranged to my satisfaction so I'm pretty happy with that. Hopefully, I'll get a new modem only too, I'm more than satisfied using my router rather than whatever crap they provide these days...

UPC - Modem only?

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