[SGVHAK] [SGVLUG] new DSL configuration

[Claude Felizardo]

I've been very happy with DSLExtreme Fusion.

I had originally started with Pacbel DSL at 1.5 Mb down, 768 Kb up.
Over the years I would upgrade to a faster speed eventually topping
out at their max DSL speed and started getting calls for Uverse.  AT&T
was capping me at 5 Mb down and 768Kb up.  I am about 5 blocks from
the Arcadia CO but at the end of a dead street in Monrovia so I'm not
sure of actual cable distance.

After switching to DSLExtreme, I was initially getting 4-6 Mb down and
1 Mb up but after letting it run a few days or weeks it got better.
I just checked and I'm getting 8052 Kb down and 892 Kb up.  I can dial
611 from home and use the IVR menu and  query or toggle between Annex
A download priority and Annex M or upload priority.  With Upload
priority, I think I usually get 3-5 Mb down and like 2-3 Mb up.  I
change as needed.

Now when I first signed up DSLExtreme last Oct, they went ahead and
sent me a Comtrend modem because I was told that the 2-wire modem I
had wasn't supported.  It actually worked but didn't support Annex M
but the speed wasn't much better.  I also disabled bridge mode in the
Comtrend so I could use the built-in router but it seemed like the
Internet connection was dropping almost daily.  Their modem also
didn't provide WiFi so I ordered a separate router (TP-Link WDR3600
with dual antennas) and the number of dropped connections has
decreased noticeably.  Maybe once a week but it usually comes back
within a few minutes so it might be a DHCP timeout.  Only problem now
is with bridge mode enabled, I can't check the connection speed by
pointing my browser at the device.  I have to dial 611.

Oh, installation was fairly painless.  They just had to swap my
wire-pair to a different rack in the CO I believe. I was already wired
for full DSL so I didn't need to install splitters everywhere.  Phone
service was down maybe an hour if that.  Internet took a little longer
but I believe it was working that night.

Claude


On Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 11:43 AM, Eric Wong <ewong3 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm thinking of getting DSLExtreme Fusion.  Could I get an update on your
> experience with them?  Whereabouts are you located?
>
> I currently have Charter cable internet.  Before, I had AT&T and DSLExtreme
> regular DSL for years and never got much more than 500 Mbps where I'm at
> (near Arcadia library) so I always just got the the lowest 768/384 plan.
> Would DSLExtreme Fusion on the Sonic network have different CO/network and
> could maybe work better (or worse) for me?
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 5, 2013 at 1:12 AM, Claude Felizardo <cafelizardo at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Jess, max theoretical speed for ADSL2+ is 20 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up but
>> it really depends on distance from Central Office, line quality both on the
>> street and in the house, filters, old loading coils, etc.  AT&T sets
>> different limits based on the tier you pay for.  DSLExtreme's Fusion places
>> no limits.
>>
>> John, I do have a test plug outside at the demarc.  I should either run a
>> long cable direct to the modem or better yet haul everything outside with a
>> short cable and see what my speeds are like.  I was switching both my voice
>> and DSL at the same time so I did not have the option to trying bonding or
>> pinging each other.   Before I had DSL installed, I had a separate line just
>> for dialup and I remember being able to ping myself and connect back in for
>> a short while before canceling the 2nd line.  I do recall that the
>> installation took several hours and the tech had to use my 2nd line to
>> request changes on the other end because his cell phone didn't have good
>> reception.
>>
>> So this evening I checked and my modem was still synced at 4028/1923 and
>> getting the same results from various speeds sites.  I called 611 and using
>> the IVR, I set my line back to back to Annex-A or download priority. It's
>> been at 9084/892 the last few hours. Ookla speedtest is reporting 7.7/0.7,
>> Speakeasy says 7.8/0.7 and Xfinity says 7.7/0.7.  But dslextreme always
>> seems to show the slowest at 7.3/0.6.
>>
>> We'll see how long this lasts but I have a new tool when I want to resync
>> - instead of hitting the power switch and hoping I don't lose my current IP,
>> I just dial 611 and follow the voice prompts.  It will even report current
>> status which is nice.
>>
>> Ask me in a month after a full month of service.
>>
>> Thanks to all for suggesting DSLExtreme and bypassing Uverse!
>>
>> Claude
>>
>