Can a faulty modem cause regular IP changes?

scrotnig · 26-08-2010, 20:18

A friend of mine has BT ADSL that she has had since 2005, and still uses the modem/router that came free at that time. Not sure which model it is, but it is NOT a wireless one, it connects to the PC via USB.

Recently, she has had a big problem with short disconnections - basically the connection will drop, then come back on, and when it does the IP has normally changed. Often she's had many dozens of different IPs during the course of an evening.

My question - is this likely to be a BT service issue, or is it more likely that the modem/router is at the end of its useful life?

If it's the latter, I'm thinking of buying her a Netgear wireless one (I have a Netgear for my cable broadband and it's fine).

Peter_ · 26-08-2010, 20:21

I have no idea with regards ADSL but any replacement mode/router will be better than her present one which you say is still using USB to connect.

I would replace it ASAP.

scrotnig · 26-08-2010, 20:24

Thanks. I take it modern ones are connecting via Ethernet like my cable one does?

I want to make it a similar set up to mine, so her main PC is still a "wired" connection but someone can come in with a laptop and connect to it wirelessly.

Peter_ · 26-08-2010, 20:48

Yes they should all now use ethernet for a better connection.

scrotnig · 26-08-2010, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masque

Yes they should all now use ethernet for a better connection.

Cool, I think I may take a chance and buy one. Can't hurt.

Presumably I need one that is both modem and router in one? these terms seem to get muddled up, I am used to Cable, where I have the cable MODEM supplied by Virgin Media and then I have a wireless ROUTER that connects to it - but for this, I need something that does both.

**Kymmy** · 26-08-2010, 20:51

Actually no, most modern ADSL modems are USB2 so can quite happily cope with the speeds, it seems to only be the cable modems that have stuck with USB1 for so long

ADSL also seems to only have short leases on their IP's so if the modem is dropping and reconnecting (either line fault or modem fault) then yes that can change your IP

I'd be more than likely to suspect the line than the modem

Peter_ · 26-08-2010, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Actually no, most modern ADSL modems are USB2 so can quite happily cope with the speeds, it seems to only be the cable modems that have stuck with USB1 for so long

ADSL also seems to only have short leases on their IP's so if the modem is dropping and reconnecting (either line fault or modem fault) then yes that can change your IP

I'd be more than likely to suspect the line than the modem

Their you go someone who actually uses ADSL.

Would an older modem from 2005 as above be OK or would it possibly have an issue.

We have not supported USB for over 3 years now.

jb66 · 26-08-2010, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Cool, I think I may take a chance and buy one. Can't hurt.

Presumably I need one that is both modem and router in one? these terms seem to get muddled up, I am used to Cable, where I have the cable MODEM supplied by Virgin Media and then I have a wireless ROUTER that connects to it - but for this, I need something that does both.

Move ISP you'll get one for free

scrotnig · 26-08-2010, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by jb66

Move ISP you'll get one for free

Thanks, but she doesn't want to do that unfortunately. We're stuck with what we've got.

**Matt D** · 26-08-2010, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrotnig

Cool, I think I may take a chance and buy one. Can't hurt.

Presumably I need one that is both modem and router in one? these terms seem to get muddled up, I am used to Cable, where I have the cable MODEM supplied by Virgin Media and then I have a wireless ROUTER that connects to it - but for this, I need something that does both.

I currently use a Netgear DGN3500: It's an ADSL2+ modem & router, with Wireless-N Access Point and Gigabit Ethernet Switch. The firmware it came with was crap & unstable, but it's been rock solid since I updated it.

Before that, I used a Netgear DG834GT (ADSL2+ modem & router, with WiFi G & an Ethernet switch). Very reliable. I only changed it as I wanted to move to WiFi N & Gigabit Ethernet.

scrotnig · 26-08-2010, 22:53

Thanks Matt. Off shopping tomorrow I think.

jrhnewark · 30-08-2010, 00:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masque

Their you go someone who actually uses ADSL.

Would an older modem from 2005 as above be OK or would it possibly have an issue.

We have not supported USB for over 3 years now.

And before that, NTL actively recommended that you should use USB. It was madness.

It depends whether it's USB1 or USB2. USB2 is fine, although, of course, a full hardware interface is better.

Peter_ · 30-08-2010, 06:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrhnewark

And before that, NTL actively recommended that you should use USB. It was madness.

It depends whether it's USB1 or USB2. USB2 is fine, although, of course, a full hardware interface is better.

As the speeds increased USB went by the wayside and ethernet took over.

**Kymmy** · 30-08-2010, 09:00

Ethernet never took over, routers always were ethernet and ethernet came out a lot sooner than usb..

USB got hold as people wanted plug and pray (sorry I meant play) external devices so with the death of PCI modems it became common to do USB modems.. Some companies took that too far and introduced a USB on modem routers purely as an option for those who didn't want to set up a complicated dhcp/NIC config..

These days the USB has been dropped not for speed sakes as USB2 is perfectly capable of handling such speeds but instead as ethernet/wifi has got simpler and plug and pray in it's own right.

Peter_ · 30-08-2010, 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Ethernet never took over, routers always were ethernet and ethernet came out a lot sooner than usb..

USB got hold as people wanted plug and pray (sorry I meant play) external devices so with the death of PCI modems it became common to do USB modems.. Some companies took that too far and introduced a USB on modem routers purely as an option for those who didn't want to set up a complicated dhcp/NIC config..

These days the USB has been dropped not for speed sakes as USB2 is perfectly capable of handling such speeds but instead as ethernet/wifi has got simpler and plug and pray in it's own right.

Ethernet took over with regards to all Virginmedia connections and we have not supported connections vis USB for more than 3 years.

ADSL may still choose to use USB but we do not support any connections using that cabling.

All of our supplied modems now only use ethernet ports for connection.