[NMLUG] QWest DSL with Cisco 670 vs. Actiontec GT701 modem

[peter at espen.net (Peter Espen)]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 11:56:48 -0700
  Don Wilde <don@silver-lynx.com> wrote:
> Mike Kruchoski wrote:
> 
>> Has anyone had experience with both the Cisco 670 and 
>>Actiontec GT701 
>> modems on QWest DSL.  I recently "upgraded" to the 
>>higher speed DSL.  
>> QWest sent a new modem (not requested).  My present 
>>Cisco "seems" to 
>> work just fine at the 1.5 Mbps, but the Actiontec modem 
>>provides 
>> integrated wireless capability, which would be helpful. 
>> However, I'm 
>> not eager to reconfigure the Actiontec to work with the 
>>services I 
>> currently run on my network.
>>
>> In your experience, is the Actiontec reliable?  Easy to 
>>configure 
>> (i.e., easier than Cisco)?  Is the documentation readily 
>>available & 
>> easy to understand?  Any security concerns?  Any 
>>"gotcha's" that the 
>> company propaganda doesn't mention?
>>
> So far, the Actiuontec has proven reliable and 
>configurable. However, QWest does not deliver what they 
>promise. I'm supposed to have their Pro service (1.1mbit 
>guaranteed up AND down), but we're only getting 800Kbits 
>consistently. Most of the configuration is very easy; 
>however, they don't docuiment the advanced things like 
>port-forwarding and such completely. It is, however, very 
>similar to standard natd rulesets, so it's 
>understandable.
> 

When I upgraded my QWest DSL last spring, I had a Cisco 
675 which only does CAP (Carrier-less Amplitude Phase 
modulation), but the new and faster speeds offered by 
QWest (with no price change) use DMT (Discrete Multi-Tone) 
which is not supported with the Cisco 675.  Qwest updated 
my DSL connection/lines to DMT and I had already purchased 
a Cisco 678 off of eBay in anticipation of the upgrade. 
 The Cisco 678 does both CAP and DMT, but needs to have a 
relatively new firmware for the DMT support.  I have the 
most recent firmware code for the Cisco 678.  I didn't 
want to use the ActionTec simply cause I was used to the 
Cisco 67x and had some utils already written for them. I 
also already had wireless all setup with my Linksys 
wireless boxes, so I didn't need the ActionTec wireless 
stuff.

I've been very happy with my Ciscos since I started with 
Qwest DSL in 1999.

Regarding your 1.1Mbit vs. 800Kbits, are you sure you're 
not really getting 1.1Mbit, but only seeing 800Kbits 
because you're not counting TCP/IP overhead, etc.?