Upgrade Modem? Add a router? or...

[TJCS]

I have a 2Wire 2701HG-B that seemly overloads and drops connections once there are too many concurrent connections, and I was wondering if upgrading the modem is the recommended choice here.



I have tested the above with uTorrent on a wired connection to the 2Wire modem. Once the concurrent connection setting is increased above a certain number, the internet connection will intermittently become unavailable with the above connection error.

Is it correct to assume that getting a fast router in this case will not help because the concurrent connections will still need to be handled and run through the 2Wire modem?

If that is the case, I was thinking of getting this faster DSL modem: TP-Link WL RT TD-W8960N 300M WL-N

Thoughts?

Modem Model: 2Wire 2701HG-B (AT&T Branded)
ISP: Sonic.net DSL

[JackMDS]

There is No combo Modem/Router the worth much more than a "Dime".

These type of devices were invented to be as cheap as possible by the ISPs.

It cost the ISPs much less to give a free (or low cost) combo than the cost of the Millions of TechSupport calls needed when the Connection's authentication is done by computer software installed on computers of ignorant End Users.

When the connection is kept alive through firmware on the WAN side, it neutralizes the weak link of the System (the users).

What to do?

If your current combo can be configured as a Modem only, do it and get a good Wireless Router.

P.S. One should know that No Wireless Router can stand to an Extensive "hassling" of the connection with torrenting).

[TJCS]

Thanks for the tip Jack. The wireless capability on this 2Wire modem can be turned off.

If I am understanding you correctly, you are saying that there aren't much difference in performance between different modems or modem/combos, and getting a good wireless router with the modem should help reduce these "overloads"?

Most of the devices are indeed connected to this 2Wire via WiFi, and these connection issues mostly happen during periods when lots of user/devices are simultaneously connected to this 2Wire modem.

[gsaldivar]

You are probably killing your own connection with the torrents. If you saturate your upstream bandwidth, the internet will appear to become increasingly slower/unavailable.

[TJCS]

Originally Posted by gsaldivar

You are probably killing your own connection with the torrents. If you saturate your upstream bandwidth, the internet will appear to become increasingly slower/unavailable.

I myself rarely use torrents, but when my brother/relatives visits they like to watch shows via PPStream(P2P TV, similar to torrents). Even at the lowest bandwidth setting, it causes intermittent overloads to the network.

Is there a good router that can efficiently allocate amount of bandwidth used by guest users?

[JackMDS]

Originally Posted by TJCS

Thanks for the tip Jack. The wireless capability on this 2Wire modem can be turned off.

If I am understanding you correctly, you are saying that there aren't much difference in performance between different modems or modem/combos, and getting a good wireless router with the modem should help reduce these "overloads"?

Most of the devices are indeed connected to this 2Wire via WiFi, and these connection issues mostly happen during periods when lots of user/devices are simultaneously connected to this 2Wire modem.

Disabling the WIFI does not turn it into a Modem only but to a wire only Modem/Router.

However, from your description it might be that using the 2Wire as a Router and adding a Good Wireless Router as a switch with an Access Point might do the trick.

Here how - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

If it is Not good enough, you can try to totally disable the Router part of the 2Wire and use the new Wireless Router as your main Router and Wireless.

Here how - http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15835

[TJCS]

Originally Posted by JackMDS

Disabling the WIFI does not turn it into a Modem only but to a wire only Modem/Router.

However, from your description it might be that using the 2Wire as a Router and adding a Good Wireless Router as a switch with an Access Point might do the trick.

Here how - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

If it is Not good enough, you can try to totally disable the Router part of the 2Wire and use the new Wireless Router as your main Router and Wireless.

Here how - http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15835

Thanks for the links(especially the pictorial for bridging the 2Wire 2701HG-B). I will give it a try once I decide on the wireless router.

[TJCS]

Finally got my ASUS RT-N66U router setup using the bridge mode guide on dslport. It is very easy to do, and the ASUS router was practically plug-and-play after I plugged it into the bridge-mode 2wire.

Things I want to note:

1. VPI Value: At the bottom of the dslport guide some dude notes that AT&T's default VPI value is 0 and that is the case for me also. (Sonic.net DSL = AT&T DSL in California)
2. Disable Wireless Before Routing: Once you turn off the routing on the 2Wire you can no longer access the main 2Wire UI anymore(2Wire Management and Diagnostic Console Interface is still accessible). So if you want to use the Main UI to disable the wireless on the 2Wire, then disable it before disabling routing.
3. Modem Access: Once you disable wireless & routing the 2Wire is no longer accessible. I think there is still a way if you know what ip the 2Wire defaults to when routing is off, but I didn't look into it. You can also just do a hard-reset on the modem to restore default modem settings.

Lastly, I want to say thanks Jack for the pointers.