Cable modem suggestions?

[DoYouKubuntu]

TWC may think that you are still using the old modem. Call their tech service and tell them that you've upgraded your modem to an IPv6 compatible device and it's not as fast. They will prob your modem and probably tune their end to be more compatible with your new modem. It may be as easy as having the TWC tech reboot your modem remotely.

That's already done. I had to contact them to activate the new modem; they needed its MAC address and model number, then they did their thing and I was back up and running.

[GreyGeek]

Update: The new modem just arrived. It's up and running, no problems at all...except that I still have really slow speed. So at some point today I'm going to test a laptop hardwired to the modem and see what its speeds are. If they're better, then I'll get a new router.

TWC may think that you are still using the old modem. Call their tech service and tell them that you've upgraded your modem to an IPv6 compatible device and it's not as fast. They will prob your modem and probably tune their end to be more compatible with your new modem. It may be as easy as having the TWC tech reboot your modem remotely.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Update: The new modem just arrived. It's up and running, no problems at all...except that I still have really slow speed. So at some point today I'm going to test a laptop hardwired to the modem and see what its speeds are. If they're better, then I'll get a new router.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Thanks, dear GG.

You know, considering that I used to be OH SO HAPPY to get my hands dirty deep in the innards of my UNIX boxes, I've turned into a real lazy bum! Oh, sure, I still do heavy-duty stuff at the trusty command line, but more and more I find myself just wanting the easy way out.

Here's the plan--as it stands THIS moment:

. get the new modem
. set it up
. see what happens

Depending on how good/bad the speed results are, then order a new router, toss that into the mix, and see what happens.

Personally, I would keep my cable modem and wifi router as separately housed components. If, for example, the SBG option dies you've lost both components.

That's my preference. That's what I do with all my services at home, I keep them separate. I have DirecTV for TV, AT&T for my landline (YES! I still have, and use, and will keep until they're obsolete, a landline!), AT&T for my smartphone, Earthlink/TWC for my cable Internet. If one goes down, they're not *ALL* down. That's a very good thing.

[GreyGeek]

You've figured out your options correctly. Personally, I would keep my cable modem and wifi router as separately housed components. If, for example, the SBG option dies you've lost both components.

"bad? Not 'Nix'?"
Hardly. I went with the tunnel because I'm cheap and several years ago IPv6 capable equipment was pretty pricey. Now it's affordable but I'm too lazy to change. The tunnel is free now, but I suspect that as IPV6 hardware costs fall into the commodity basement the free tunnel servers will shut down and I'll be forced to buy.

[DoYouKubuntu]

The 54GL is not IPv6 capable, and hasn't been updated in five years, so it is more than a generation old.

That D-Link you selected is MODEM ONLY, and does not include a wifi component like the SBG product.

I wasn't thinking in terms of anything BUT "modem only" since I already have a router.

That means that since your WRT54GL is not IPv6 capable you won't be able to establish an IPv6 route from that D-Link cable modem through through the 54GL to your computer. Ergo, since you are buying an IPv6 capable cable modem getting a wifi router that is IPv6 capable would be the easiest route.

And now I'm reconsidering! So I can either get a different modem, one with a wi-fi component and dump the router, or keep the D-Link modem I've ordered and buy a new router that is IPv6 capable, correct?

You can still get IPv6 connectivity with the 54GL by using a tunnel. That's how I do it since neither my TWC cable modem nor my Linksys E2500 is IPv6 capable.

Or use a tunnel.

I set up an account with the following tunnel supplier:
https://www.sixxs.net/main/
The driver for it, aiccu, is in the repository. It works great. The website http://test-ipv6.com/ gives me a 10 out of ten. Another gives me 19 out of 20 because I have no reverse DNS lookup for IPv6.
I've set my aiccu config file to make IPv6 the default and Chrome uses it first.

Am I bad, as in not a good, true-blue *nix person, if I just don't feel like doing EXTRA stuff like this right now? I really would like to just plug in a new modem--and router, if necessary--and be done with it!

Thanks, as always, GG. You're such a treasure trove of great info and advice.

[GreyGeek]

I'm honestly not in any mood to brick my router...or anything else. So I think I'm going to leave it as is, toss in a new cable modem, and see what happens. If all else fails I can always toss out the new modem and go back to the old, leased one.

I went ahead and ordered the D-Link modem from the recommended/tested list at TWC. I figured since I've had good results in the past with D-Link products, this should be a good choice. Stay tuned...we'll see.

The 54GL is not IPv6 capable, and hasn't been updated in five years, so it is more than a generation old.

That D-Link you selected is MODEM ONLY, and does not include a wifi component like the SBG product. That means that since your WRT54GL is not IPv6 capable you won't be able to establish an IPv6 route from that D-Link cable modem through through the 54GL to your computer. Ergo, since you are buying an IPv6 capable cable modem getting a wifi router that is IPv6 capable would be the easiest route.

You can still get IPv6 connectivity with the 54GL by using a tunnel. That's how I do it since neither my TWC cable modem nor my Linksys E2500 is IPv6 capable.
I set up an account with the following tunnel supplier:
https://www.sixxs.net/main/
The driver for it, aiccu, is in the repository. It works great. The website http://test-ipv6.com/ gives me a 10 out of ten. Another gives me 19 out of 20 because I have no reverse DNS lookup for IPv6.
I've set my aiccu config file to make IPv6 the default and Chrome uses it first.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I'm honestly not in any mood to brick my router...or anything else. So I think I'm going to leave it as is, toss in a new cable modem, and see what happens. If all else fails I can always toss out the new modem and go back to the old, leased one.

I went ahead and ordered the D-Link modem from the recommended/tested list at TWC. I figured since I've had good results in the past with D-Link products, this should be a good choice. Stay tuned...we'll see.

[GreyGeek]

Thanks, GG. You know what? I'm really not sure what I have! This is my current router; it's the Linksys WRT54GL Wi-Fi Wireless-G Broadband Router, and it's just under a year old. I don't see anything in its description regarding IPv[4][6].

A version of DD-WRT is suuposed to add IPv6 capability to a WRT54GL:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=549147

Make sure you use a build that supports IPv6:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php...#File_Versions

For the WRT54GL you should use dd-wrt.v24_std_generic.bin from here:

ftp://dd-wrt.com/others/eko/BrainSla...4929/broadcom/

If it doesn't work, do the 30-30-30 reset and try again.

Hope this helps,

Mark

It's easy to brick a wifi router by trying to burn the firmware. I burned my Linksys E2500 router and it vastly improved performance and gave me access to all the control and settings the Cisco admin pages block out.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Specs here (if one knows how to properly read them):
http://www.cnet.com/products/linksys...-router/specs/

I guess I don't know how to properly read them!

BTW, I got a kick out of its "System Requirements":

OS Required
Microsoft Windows Vista / 2000 / XP

Um, yeah...not in my house! And on its Amazon page they play up its Linux-ness, i.e., that it's Linux-based, it's compatible with Linux, etc., like this:

The Linksys-Cisco WRT54GL offers great performance and ease of use -- plus Linux compatibility.

[Qqmike]

Specs here (if one knows how to properly read them):
http://www.cnet.com/products/linksys...-router/specs/

[DoYouKubuntu]

IF you have an IPv6 capable wifi router then use what TWC uses in my area, an SB6141, which is IPv6 capable. TWC's IPv6 rollout is well over 90% complete.

If your wifi router is IPv4 only then use the SBG6580, which has both the cable modem and the wifi in one box, IPv6 ready. A problem with this box is that, AFAIK, you cannot burn open source firmware onto the wifi part

Thanks, GG. You know what? I'm really not sure what I have! This is my current router; it's the Linksys WRT54GL Wi-Fi Wireless-G Broadband Router, and it's just under a year old. I don't see anything in its description regarding IPv[4][6].

[GreyGeek]

IF you have an IPv6 capable wifi router then use what TWC uses in my area, an SB6141, which is IPv6 capable. TWC's IPv6 rollout is well over 90% complete.

If your wifi router is IPv4 only then use the SBG6580, which has both the cable modem and the wifi in one box, IPv6 ready. A problem with this box is that, AFAIK, you cannot burn open source firmware onto the wifi part

[DoYouKubuntu]

I want to buy my own cable modem so I can stop paying a monthly fee. Since I've never bought/configured a cable modem before, I thought I'd ask for help BEFORE ordering one!

Note that while it's an Earthlink account, it's provided over Time Warner's cables, and I'm billed by TWC. Here's a page of tested modems.

Right now my d/l speed is supposed to be 50MB, and u/l 5MB. However, in actual practice, I'm seeing d/l speeds of ~20MB and u/l of 5.6MB. (Until yesterday I had 30MB and 2MB.) TWC tested the line and saw speeds of 56MB and 5.6MB--so our upload speeds match exactly, but we're WAY OFF on downloads. They said that the modem I have SAYS that it's compatible with my new speed, but, you know, maybe it really isn't. It's pretty old by technology standards--I THINK I've had it for ~2 years, but I'm kind of fuzzy on that right now.

Anyway, does anyone have personal experience with any of the modems in that list? Or even with certain brands, if not specific models. Thanks.