DSL Modems

[Frank Jr.]

A few nights ago I lost my Internet connection. (voice/dial tone ok) I suspected it was on the phone companies end but decided to do some checking on my end anyway. I replaced some filters and Ethernet cables, but that didn't change anything. The DSL modem I was using at the time is an old Netopia modem. I decided to pull out an unused 2Wire modem that a line repairman gave me when they were replacing the phone line to my house several years ago because of those pesky squirrels. I still didn't have an Internet connection but decided to leave the 2Wire connected and wait. After about two hours the Internet connection came back on. Everything was working fine. I decided to compare my upload and download speeds between the two modems. Upload speeds were the same, but download speeds with the Netopia were consistently around 6.5. while the 2Wire was around 6.1. Either one not bad for a 6.0 Mb service. (sorry for the long summery)

I have two questions.
1. Why the different download speeds?
2. In the thumbnail it shows what I guess is the actual line connection quality that I have. Can anyone tell me what all that means? Good, bad, average, etc............

 

[LER]

The CPU on the 2wire is probably not as good as the Netopia. There are quality differences.

I would search Broadband reports on the dbm level stuff. I'm not 100% sure what all they mean. (I'm now on Cable).

 

[Frank Jr.]

Thanx Ler!

 

[harshness]

The Netopia is probably just a better modem all around. Remember that DSL acts like an analog service and as such it is decisively impacted by distortion and frequency response parameters of the modem.