[shipnil]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Is Your Cat 6 Cable a Dog?

Personally, I'd try to use Belden cable.

That was an interesting article. If that is the case in the US, then I doubt if we would have even one single brand here conforming to the standards. Any idea if Belden passed the test?

Is the Belden cable available in India?

A question on different topic, content streaming from NAS. In the current set up, I have a FTP server and a Media Server set up on the router. So I get two options to choose from when I wish to stream anything from NAS. Earlier I used to select shared drive on FTP server and select the file. But when the wifi signal is weak (showing one single bar), the buffering used to happen. So once I tried playing the same file from media server. It played well, even with single bar.

So I am wondering what improves the performance on media server?

[Thad E Ginathom]

The internet tells me that Belden cables would be available in India, but everything I saw looks like industrial-level suppliers.

Our professionals could advise.

[binand]

Originally Posted by shipnil

Earlier I used to select shared drive on FTP server and select the file. But when the wifi signal is weak (showing one single bar), the buffering used to happen. So once I tried playing the same file from media server. It played well, even with single bar.

So I am wondering what improves the performance on media server?

Probably because the "media server" option uses a transport protocol that is optimized for media delivery. FTP, as you know, is built on TCP which sacrifices speed in favour of integrity (hence is good for delivering documents and archives over a network); but for media delivery low latency is much more crucial than containing losses so the protocols are usually built on top of UDP.

[TheTeacher]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Is Your Cat 6 Cable a Dog?

Thanks for the article.

A few months ago, I signed up with Spectranet. They did the cable run, then cut the cable at my router, installed the jack, and everything worked. It stopped working the next day (no internet). The tech came, cut off the connector and crimped a new one on. This same story repeated about 6 times, with him replacing the connector at the router end and also the other end of the cable. It finally became stable and I am getting claimed speeds (20 mbit).

This surprised me a bit, because in a past life, I used to occasionally make custom-length Fast Ethernet patch cords, and a cable either worked or didn't. Very rarely did I encounter a cable that failed after sometime.

I suspect the connectors used by the Spectranet tech were of low quality.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

Thanks for the article.

Actually, it shocked me... Because, as a small-company IT manager I almost prided myself in buying cheap flyleads. Not the installation cabling: that was good stuff, installed by experts and tested with their specialist boxes.

But I had a failure rate, and yes, sometimes the failure was intermittent. Or would work on one machine but not another. The rule was that any doubtful cable, of any kind, got the immediate scissors/bin treatment.

I mentioned already, that although I was used to making stuff like serial cables, my internet patch cables seldom turned out well. I guess you had the knack!

[fine69]

I recently registered for the MTNL's Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connection and was told by the technician to get the following modem -

DLink N 300 with 1 yellow port and 3 black ports.

However, since this is a fibre connection I was later told by customer care that I don't need a modem but just a router. DLink's N300 is what they support and asked me to get but I wasn't able to find any router which has just 1 yellow port and 3 black ports.

I'm a total noob to these routers and stuff so can someone help in figuring out which router I should be getting.

My connection speed would be 20 mbps.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by fine69

I recently registered for the MTNL's Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connection and was told by the technician to get the following modem -

DLink N 300 with 1 yellow port and 3 black ports.

However, since this is a fibre connection I was later told by customer care that I don't need a modem but just a router. DLink's N300 is what they support and asked me to get but I wasn't able to find any router which has just 1 yellow port and 3 black ports.

I'm a total noob to these routers and stuff so can someone help in figuring out which router I should be getting.

My connection speed would be 20 mbps.

N300 refers to the speed and Wi-Fi standard.

Not sure how MTNL provisions the FTTH/C connection but generally the optical fibre will be terminated outside your home/housing colony at an aggregator or ONT. The router will connect to this via a UTP cable and perform the authentication function via PPPoE.

Do note however some FTTH connections use VDSL modems to connect to the ONT. So it is important you get the correct model of router i.e. one with or without a VDSL modem built in.

To be on the safe side I'd suggest you ask him to specify the make & model number instead of the colour of the ports. If in doubt just buy it from MTNL.

[5hadow]

Originally Posted by fine69

... to get the following modem -

DLink N 300 with 1 yellow port and 3 black ports.

http://www.amazon.in/D-Link-DIR-615-.../dp/B0085IATT6

I think, this is what you need.

I am using the same device for ACT fiber internet. I am not sure why the description tells otherwise. Mine has one yellow (input RJ45) and 4 black (output RJ45) ports.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by fine69

I'm a total noob to these routers and stuff so can someone help in figuring out which router I should be getting.

My connection speed would be 20 mbps.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Do note however some FTTH connections use VDSL modems to connect to the ONT. So it is important you get the correct model of router i.e. one with or without a VDSL modem built in.

Originally Posted by 5hadow

Mine has one yellow (input RJ45) and 4 black (output RJ45) ports.

fine69, I think the only question relevant is whether you need modem function in the router or not. I think what R2D2 has said is also relevant. Please confirm again with MTNL that modem function is not required.

Regarding ports, nearly every router in market is with 1 yellow (wan) and 3 or 4 black (lan) ports. You don't need to buy D-link. You can go for any brand router.

BTW, where did you check the speed? By connecting your computer directly with the MTNL cable? If yes, then you don't need the modem function.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by shipnil

fine69, I think the only question relevant is whether you need modem function in the router or not. I think what R2D2 has said is also relevant. Please confirm again with MTNL that modem function is not required.....

Below are the facts that are confirmed so far -
1) I don't need the modem function, have spoken to their technician personally.
2) On asking the specific make/model I was told its a DLink N300 with 1 yellow and 3 black ports. I knew it was a series so I asked again but he said he doesn't have the exact model.
3) The MTNL guys would be setting it up through ONT (not sure whether at my house or nearby), this part was confirmed by customer care
4) The connection is not in my house yet, they would be contacting me for installation soon but since I opted for the 'without modem' plan its on me to fetch the modem. To change it to a 'with modem' plan would mean wasting another half day which is why I'm struggling on the net instead.
5) I know of the speed as per the plan that I have opted (its 20mbps till 150 GB and 2mbps then onwards)

I'm assuming that they specifically wanted the N300 series because that's what they are familiar from an installation/setup standpoint.

Now based on the technician's input I had shortlisted the below router which has 1 yellow but 4 black ports (instead of 3). This of course isn't the N300 series and one of the seller on amazon said that it wouldn't work with MTNL's FTTH.

http://www.amazon.in/D-Link-DIR-816-...rds=dlink+n300

In case this information doesn't help then I think I'd have to wait for MTNL to show up at my house and then ask my follow-up questions coz customer care guys also have no clue which specific DLink model I need to purchase.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by fine69

This of course isn't the N300 series and one of the seller on amazon said that it wouldn't work with MTNL's FTTH.

http://www.amazon.in/D-Link-DIR-816-...rds=dlink+n300

As already clarified by R2D2, the N is wifi standard and 300 is max speed. What you selected is higher standard (AC) and 750 max speed. It is backward compatible with N standard devices as well. The number of lan ports is hardly relevant if you are not going connect computers/smart tv using cable.

I have similar setup given by you in the description but from Spectranet FTTH. The ONT box resides in the lobby which supplies internet to 4 homes. The ONT has the modem function hence I needed only router.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by fine69

Below are the facts that are confirmed so far -
1) I don't need the modem function, have spoken to their technician personally.

So that would mean you can do with almost any Wi-Fi router that is capable of PPPoE/PPPoA WAN connectivity.

2) On asking the specific make/model I was told its a DLink N300 with 1 yellow and 3 black ports. I knew it was a series so I asked again but he said he doesn't have the exact model.

These guys are using a misleading and dare I say a silly method of providing you information about the equipment. Please understand that the colour coding is ONLY to help the owner identify which port belongs to what part of the network i.e. the internal (in essence your home network) or external (the Internet)

4) The connection is not in my house yet, they would be contacting me for installation soon but since I opted for the 'without modem' plan its on me to fetch the modem. To change it to a 'with modem' plan would mean wasting another half day which is why I'm struggling on the net instead.

The only difference between the 'with modem' and 'without modem' plan is if you will receive a modem from MTNL or you need to buy it yourself. Unfortunately what this doesn't tell you is if you were to buy a so called modem what kind should it be. For connecting to an ONT it would probably be a VDSL that can scale up to 100 Mbps speeds. For <24 Mbps (as in your case) a normal ADSL2/ADSL2+ modem will do but if you opt for higher speeds in the future you'd need to upgrade the modem to VDSL.

I'm assuming that they specifically wanted the N300 series because that's what they are familiar from an installation/setup standpoint.

Home Wi-Fi routers are pretty easy to configure. Don't worry. Most come with built in wizards to get your connection up and running.

This of course isn't the N300 series and one of the seller on amazon said that it wouldn't work with MTNL's FTTH.

When the seller has explicitly mentioned this I'd suggest not buying this model. There may be a valid reason.

In case this information doesn't help then I think I'd have to wait for MTNL to show up at my house and then ask my follow-up questions coz customer care guys also have no clue which specific DLink model I need to purchase.

Best you get the model # from the MTNL linesman. As mentioned earlier, colour (or number) of RJ45 ports is really not how any networking equipment is classified or identified and neither is its fitness for a particular purpose determined in this manner.

[scuderiamania]

Originally Posted by R2D2

For connecting to an ONT it would probably be a VDSL that can scale up to 100 Mbps speeds. For <24 Mbps (as in your case) a normal ADSL2/ADSL2+ modem will do but if you opt for higher speeds in the future you'd need to upgrade the modem to VDSL.

I have been looking to upgrade my WiFi for quite some time. I am currently using an airtel broadband connection at home. Since they are rolling out vdsl across the country, I want to buy a router which can support vdsl as well. The problem is when I search on Flipkart for routers that support the standard. l can hardly find a couple of options which are expensive as well.

Can you please recommend some routers within 3-4k for a 1750 sq ft house?

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by scuderiamania

I have been looking to upgrade my WiFi for quite some time. I am currently using an airtel broadband connection at home. Since they are rolling out vdsl across the country, I want to buy a router which can support vdsl as well. The problem is when I search on Flipkart for routers that support the standard. l can hardly find a couple of options which are expensive as well.

Can you please recommend some routers within 3-4k for a 1750 sq ft house?

VDSL modems + routers are rare and expensive. The cheapest option I found when I upgraded to Airtel VDSL was the D-Link 2877AL but it doesn't work out of the box and requires a firmware update.

What I did was to use the Huawei modem + router that Airtel provides, as a modem only and attached a plain/better wi-fi router to it which supports the AC and 5 Ghz bands. Extra device and cabling, I know, but it was a much cheaper option and works very well.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by scuderiamania

I have been looking to upgrade my WiFi for quite some time. I am currently using an airtel broadband connection at home. Since they are rolling out vdsl across the country, I want to buy a router which can support vdsl as well. The problem is when I search on Flipkart for routers that support the standard. l can hardly find a couple of options which are expensive as well.

Can you please recommend some routers within 3-4k for a 1750 sq ft house?

There are very limited options in VDSL capable modem routers. And they will be priced way over the normal ADSL/ADSL2+ models. Unfortunately I don't believe there is a VDSL model that falls in your budget.

The cheapest one I can think of (and purchased about 1-2 years ago) is the TPLink TD-W9980 which cost me about 9K back then.

And then there is the Asus DSL-AC68U which is a premium product with a VDSL modem and Wi-Fi AC router. This model is basically the well known Asus RT-AC68U AC1900 Wi-Fi router but with a VDSL modem built in.

I have used both the TPLink and Asus and its the Asus that wins every time & that should not be a surprise given the price. Get the Asus for your home and you won't go wrong. Very good coverage and stability. Also Asus firmware is one of the best out there.

If you're facing a budget constraint I would suggest sticking to ADSL2+ models and upgrade it later when you decide to upgrade your connection to over 24 Mbps.