Router/Modem

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weewun

Well-known member
Joined
May 17, 2013
Posts
380
Location
Henrico, North Carolina
Need some advice.  While in FL I use CenturyLink DSL, Verizon 4G and 3G are overloaded and close to useless. 

My current setup is:

1.  An ATT DSL Modem (that's what was available before we moved to Naples from Homestead) modified to work with CenturyLink.

2.  A CradlePoint Router capable of accepting a LTE 4G USB Air Card.

3. Two Laptops (we provide Internet Access for our friends from Canada), two wireless printers and DW's IPAD, Kindle Fire and Smart Phone.

Last  year we experienced multiple dropouts and periods of slow speeds, the Cradle Point would Auto Recover the dropouts.  All in all not very good service.  Don't know if the poor service was the DSL provider or my cobbled together Modem and Router.

I am going to buy a Router/Modem Combo to see if it works any better and it will remove one piece of equipment from the Dashboard when we are set up.

I would like a high quality and highly sensitive unit with strong WiFi output.  I am confused about DSL vs. ADSL2 as well as 802G vs. 802N.

I will appreciate all your recommendations and will provide any additional info you need. 
 
I would speculate that the dropouts you experienced were the fault of your DSL provider and not your router.  People seem to think that broadband internet speeds are constant; usually they are anything but.  We had a 10 Mbps DSL in TX last winter (CenturyLink) and the speed varied both on a long-term and short-term basis.  Currently we have been using Verizon 4G which, every once in a while just stops, sometimes for seconds, sometimes for several minutes.  I wouldn't recommend buying new hardware even though I work for a company that makes hardware that would work for you. 
 
I am confused about DSL vs. ADSL2 as well as 802G vs. 802N.
Click to expand...

Those are unrelated.  DSL (and ADSL) are wired connections, 802.11g and n are WiFi.  Today, nearly all WiFi access points (and routers) support 802.11n, much higher speed than 802.11g, but the difference isn't important unless you're moving files across the local network.  Both will be faster than any wired internet connection you'll encounter.

I agree that the problems you experienced were most likely the ISP and not your router or modem.
 
I had my parents hooked up with Centurylink DSL in Port Charlotte up until a couple of years ago and it was the worst service I have seen anywhere in the country! Extremely varying download speeds,  service interupts, and long periods of no service.
 
Appreciate your input and was afraid it was going to be your answer. 

The answer, notwithstanding, I believe I am going to go with a Router/Modem Combo for my second reason which is to reduce clutter.  That being the case do you have any opinions as to which Brand Router/Modem Combo will give me the fastest WiFi speed and coverage area.  Upward mobility is also a prime consideration.

I have set $150 as my nominal price.

Input appreciated.
 
Check on the CenturyLink web site for a list of supported modems, if they support customer supplied equipment.
 
I switched from Century Link to Comcast last winter in the Naples FL area. We did have some difficulties with Century but nothing really bad. They insisted at the time on using their rented modem. Comcast also requires a specific modem that I purchased at Walmart rather than pay the monthly fee (which was chargeable even with the service suspended for summer months). As it is Comcast charges 5$ / month while on suspension.

I do use a Linksys WiFi equipped router to give internet access via WiFi for the Wii Game (Netflix) and internet access for the occasional visitors computer.
 
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