Extra DSL modem?

I was just filling out a PRCD with my company for an extra DSL modem (a process which has sometimes been known to take months) and I realized that maybe I should just ask if anyone here has an extra.

I know that sometimes when people change DSL service providers, they get left with extra DSL modems that gather dust in the closet. If anyone's got one that they want to throw my way, you'd be saving me the headache of the corporate purchase order process.

See, I've got an existing modem which intermittently fails once every few months, and needs to be rebooted. I've got an identical modem on another line which never fails and never needs to be rebooted. I verified that the modem was the issue simply by swapping the two modems and waiting. After a year or so of occasional reboots in its new location, I'm now certain the modem is the item that was at fault all along. Of course, it's long since out of warranty and the phone company refuses to replace it or even credit me the $99.00 it would cost to replace it. I've already wasted more than $99.00 of my time trying to get them to make it right. Heck, our monthly bill is a lot more than that. I think they're being pretty snarky about it if you ask me.

The only catch is that I don't know a lot about the technology, in terms of which modems will work with which kinds of connections. I don't know if "just any old ADSL modem" will work, or if it needs to be special in some way. I do know the following, though:

- Current modem which is working on this line is a "Westell Wirespeed". Same as the one that intermittently fails and that I'm trying to replace.

- It is supposed to be able to support auto-configuration. When I swapped the two modems, I didn't need to do any software configuration at all, they each just "worked" on the new line.

- I was told by a Pac Bell technician that I could replace it with a "Speedstream ADSL Modem", part number 120-5360-501 at www.sbcdslstore.com . He said it would support auto configuration as well.

I'm sure there are plenty of companies which make ADSL modems which will just plug in and work in this spot. I'm betting that somewhere on this BBS, someone has one which is gathering dust right now. Anyone?

I've got one. It's the Alcatel 1000 that Pacbell originally rolled out with their ADSL lines a few years back. It's all yours if you wanna pay shipping. I'm pretty sure i still have it in my "bin-o-pc-crap". I'll check tonight.

THANKS!

That should work... The guy at Pac Bell said the Westel and Speedstream products both used the Alcatel chipset. I'll PM you with shipping information and paypal you the cash (or give you our shipper number if I can clear it with our admin). There's no rush, so the cheapest possible shipping method will do.

My Alcatel 1000 was rock solid until it died one day. After almost four years without touching it, I was disapointed to learn that they weren't replacing the modem with the same ones. There are a few numbers you need to set in the modem if they aren't already set correctly (Virtual Circuit ID?) which are basicaly ATM routing options. I know with my pac bell Alcatel it was possible to change them through either telnet or a web interface.

The alcaltel was replaced with a speestream, and as far as I know it's worked well.

Matthew

If Loren's Alcatel modem needs its settings configured, I don't know if I even have the appropriate settings to plug in. The modems I've got were plug-and-play, auto-configuring, no settings needed. Does anyone have any more information on this?

BTW, Tony, I also have an extra DSL modem lying around if Loren's doesn't work out. It's a Cisco and I don't know the model number, but I'll dig it out if you still find yourself in need of something.

I'm mainly looking for any one that supports auto-configuration so I don't have to enter any info through a telnet interface (since I don't even have that info to enter it). Dunno if Loren's is that way or not?

Dunno if Loren's is that way or not?

To the best of my memory the Alcatel 1000 doesn't require any configuration. I installed/moved/drop kicked my fair share of them a few years back doing consulting and I don't recall ever setting a thing on them. They where pretty bullet proof actually (damn ugly though).

Maybe they require configuration only if changing DSL providers? I most likely only set them up with PacBell DSL as they where PB's standard modem for quite a while.

-Mike

To the best of my memory the Alcatel 1000 doesn't require any configuration.

Cool! Thanks!

I'll bet the 1000 won't work. I've got one, too, and I've tried it on every DSL connection I've had (four), and it only ever worked on the one it was shipped with, and they were all on the same line. The 1000s were the very first DSL modems that came out, I believe, and I think that the supporting technology has changed enough that it's now obsolete.

I could easily be wrong, though.

Thanks for that info, Bitt. You could very well be right. For the few bucks it'll cost to have Loren mail it to me, I'm willing to try it and find out.

If it turns out to not work, I'll be more than happy to donate mine to the cause. I'm on cable now, and have no use for my Wirespeed DSL modem, formerly used on Verizon DSL service.

Cool! Hey, Loren, hold that modem. If Ynot has the same one, then it'll more likely work.

I've got a SpeedStream 5260 Ethernet ADSL Modem Part #060-5660-003 collecting dust. I have no idea of the specs for it, but you're welcome to it if you need it.

Thank you! I'm hoping Ynot's wirespeed will work since it's the exact same model. If it doesn't, I'll PM you. Thanks for the offer!

I can't get onto ICQ today for some reason, so can I take that as a sign that you checked out the power plug and all that jazz?

I was just going to send you a private message. Yes, it's the same power plug. Three pins plus a "guide" tab, making the female connection look like a four-pin socket. And as I said, the current power supply is fine, since I didn't swap power supplies when I did the test-swap of the two modems.

Oh, and give Trillian a shot, it's not giving me any trouble with my ICQ connection.

I use Trillian at home. At work, due to the lack of a direct Internet connection, I need to use our telnet proxy to get to my Linux box at home, and then use CenterICQ to use AIM, ICQ, etc.

Anyway, glad it's the right one. I don't think I can make it to the UPS place today, but tomorrow should be doable.

I don't think I can make it to the UPS place today, but tomorrow should be doable.

Cool! Thanks! No rush at all, the existing modem works and it's got at least another month before I need to reboot it again. Make sure to let me know how much it cost you to mail it so I can paypal you the dough.

Thanks again!

Make sure to let me know how much it cost you to mail it so I can paypal you the dough.

Nah, that prototype Pearl you were going to send me will do just fine as payment for shipping.

If only I had one to send.

If you only had one, I doubt you'd sent it!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I got the extra modem from Tony. Plugged it in, it booted right up and connected with no problems. Now only time will tell if it has the same intermittent problem as the other modem did.

Thanks again, Tony!

Follow up, in case anyone was interested. Tony's replacement modem is still going strong, hasn't gone down yet.