[Ham-Computers] RE: WooHoo, it's fast!

Wed Sep 21 01:19:19 EDT 2005

Don't sound suprised, when you see a come on price and bite, expect trouble!
Especially with that company - But just wait, it gets better! 

----------
From: Philip Atchley <beaconeer at sbcglobal.net>
To: Computers (or other) used for amateur radio, communications,  or
experimenting <ham-computers at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Ham-Computers] RE: WooHoo, it's fast!
Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 12:03 AM

Hi Aaron et al,

When I ran the speed test several times it indicated something like 
1244-1311 down and 384 up (may not be exact numbers, that's from memory).

However, we had a really big rain and thunder storm blow through here 
tonight and the DSL link went down.  The computer and modem are talking, 
as is the DSL side, but I can't sign into SBC.  I've seen this happen a 
number of times with their dial-up (which is still up right now) so I 
suspect that they've lost a server or something in the area.   Or, would 
water in the telephone lines cause this?

Anyway, I'm glad I didn't remove the dialup connections ;-)

Yes, the modem is definitely a Siemens Speedstream 4100.  Apparently a 
product made especially for SBC.

73 de Phil  KO6BB

Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal) wrote:

>Congrats on the install, Phil!
>
>Sounds like you might have a 3.0Mbps profile (or are *EXTREMEMLY* close to
>the CO) as your timings indicate about 1.5Mbps downstream.  If you want to
>"benchmark" your bandwidth, try one of these links...
>
>http://www.dslreports.com/stest
>http://www.2wire.com/?p=154
>http://help.sbcglobal.net/dsl/speedtest/
>
>
>You might get slightly different results from each site, depending on the
>network latency from your home to the test server, but they should be close
>(usually within 20%).  If everything is working "well", then your thruput
>rates should be about 10% to 20% lower than the advertised rate you're
>paying for (accounting for overhead).  So, for example, if you're profile is
>1.5Mbps DS and 384Kbps US, then you should see a benchmark of about 1.3Mbps
>DS and 300Kbps US.
>
>Are you sure about the model of modem you received, a 4100?  Doesn't sound
>right.  Either way, I would suggest that as soon as you receive the router
>that you un-install the "base" software from SBC.  Unfortunately, the "base"
>also installs a bunch of other *crap* that isn't un-installed if you just
>select the SBC software from the Add/Remove control panel.  There are some
>other seperate items added that have their own listing in Add/Remove -
>you'll need to find those and un-install them too.
>
>When you get a chance, send me a personal e-mail about your modem.  There's
>a couple of things I'd like you to try (if you don't mind).
>
>73,
>
>  - Aaron, NN6O
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 7:05 PM
>Subject: [Ham-Computers] WooHoo, it's fast!
>
>
>Hi,
>
>Following Aarons advice I decided to install my DSL modem and see if SBC 
>had connected me early.  They did, by at least a day.  Perhaps it's been 
>activated for several days, who knows.
>
>Following the SBC instructions EXACTLY for a MANUAL installation without 
>the CD ROM, I couldn't get the computer to talk to the modem (A special 
>SBC version of the Speedstream 4100) at all  by typing the url of the 
>modem into the browser address window.  I even turned off ZA to see if 
>that was blocking it, rebooted and did various things.  They just 
>wouldn't talk!  The LAN Network indicator in the task bar kept sweeping 
>back and forth looking for the address. 
>
>So finally I opted to load the system from the SBC provided CD, but (NOT 
>load all their software, a BASIC install ONLY).  One of the first things 
>the installer asked me was for the access code on the bottom of the 
>modem (which I'd recorded prior to mounting it to the wall under the 
>operating table). From then on everything went exactly as it should, it 
>went out to SBC and let me register the connection, made my Internet and 
>EMAIL connections (to the existing Mozilla FIREFOX and THUNDERBIRD 
>programs that I use). 
>
>One note:  Per SBC, I.E. MUST be loaded on your machine to do an 
>install, confirmed by the fact that is the browser that the package 
>opened during the install registration process.
>
>I'm not sure WHY I couldn't do a manual install per the read.me file on 
>the CD.  This is apparently a new Modem that they're using and I suspect 
>that SBC may have had this modem configured to require the CD for 
>initial set-up! Now I can access it through the modem URL to read the 
>various setup specifications and stats.
>
>How fast is it?  I haven't yet figured out how to determine my link 
>operating speeds, but it downloaded a 13.7 MB file in 1Min 10- seconds 
>flat! With the dial-up that would have taken anywhere from 30-60 minutes!
>
>Am I a happy puppy?  You bet!  It all seems to happen instantly, and 
>I've been told it may not even come up to full speed till the 10 day 
>"break-in" period is over.
>
>73 de Phil  KO6BB
> 
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>  
>
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