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Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to gdm

MVM

to gdm

Re: Firmware rasied noise margins on 643

I only suggested that because it's the only one you can "control" of affect. See that drop going from your house to the pole, or that connection at the pole ?? They could be allowing water in and you can do NOTHING about those.

As for Safe Mode, you could live with it. Just ask Bill_MI.

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

I know but once you have a taste of full you just don't want to give it up. I am going to check the NID in a little bit and scheduled SBC to come out and check the boxes. Thanks Hall!!!!!

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
TP-Link Archer C7
Linksys WRT54GS
Linksys WRT54G v4

Bill_MI to Hall

MVM

to Hall
said by Hall:
As for Safe Mode, you could live with it. Just ask Bill_MI.
I still keep my ports open in case something comes up to get out of it. I may work in FastPath for days at a time - but too infrequently to stay there.

I'm suspicious firmware can help noise margins very much - readings change quite regularly here (which is why I have about a YEAR of noise values to compare! Remember my graph chart? ). I'd sure like to be solid in FastPath (sigh).

GDM, was this firmware upgrade specifically for connection enhancement or more like a suggestion?

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

Bill,

The reason I got the firmware was because of the 643 not saving that MTU command in the autoexec.net. When I upgraded the firmware that didn't help but the noise margins increased. They did not tell me what the fixes were but it has stabled my line much more even in safe mode.

Before I upgraded the firmware my noise margins would start out around 9-10 in safe mode on the downside. Some mornings when I woke up it would be anywhere from 0-5db with no explanation from Covad. Once the firmware was updated I average 12-14db on the down now.

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
TP-Link Archer C7
Linksys WRT54GS
Linksys WRT54G v4

Bill_MI

MVM

Very little except that copper line between you and the central office affects noise margin. I'm speculating from my background when I say the chipset in the modems is probably not a part of a ZyXEL firmware upgrade and that chipset pretty much determines performance, noise susceptibility, etc.

But like I said... I keep an ear out for things like "long reach" options that might have a shot at getting me solid in FastPath. Technology does improve and there's a real drive to squeeze ADSL performance (SafeMode a typical example that probably didn't exist in 1997 when I first discovered this problem and solved it... sort of ).

I've considered getting a different modem just to try it - but such data is hard to find. I can bet the farm modems cannot be created equal, even within the same model, when talking about the fringe of performance. But heck, I'm not going to try 50 of them. LOL!
[text was edited by author 2003-04-05 11:30:00]

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

Bill, I think it would be worth a shot to call zyxel and ask them what the curren firmware for the 645 is. It won't hurt to upgrade.:)
ccarlin
join:2000-12-28
Deerfield, IL

ccarlin

Member

Well I was the other one that tried this and my margins definitely increased. My downstream went from 6.5 (right before upgrading) to 9.5 and is currently at 11.5.

I have been up for 20 hours straight since doing this. I will wait and see how well it works on an evening during the week when I typically can't hold sync.

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI

Bill_MI

MVM

FastPath or SafeMode?

I just reviewed the first 5 days of April and I'm averaging 10db noise margin downstream (my limiting factor). But the lowest was 6.5 and highest 11.5. Those 6.5 times kill me FastPath yet stay solid SafeMode.
Bill_MI

Bill_MI to gdm

MVM

to gdm
ZyXEL isn't available 'til Monday but I'm looking at some updated f/w for my P645. Can either or both of you tell me what you have in menu 24.2.1? It should look like this:

ZyNOS S/W Version: V2.50(EK.3) | 8/31/2001
ADSL Chipset Vendor: Alcatel, Version 3.8.124

I found:
ZyNOS F/W Version : V2.50(EK.4) | 9/19/2002

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

Bill,

Here you go

ZyNOS F/W Version: V2.50(AY.4) | 11/08/2002
ADSL Chipset Vendor: Alcatel, Version 3.8.164
Standard: G.DMT

Interesting enough I was doing some digging on Covad's SMART account manager. You can actually get the new firmware for 643 from the covad site. Which is the only place I have seen this.

From the smart manager account

"This file is a firmware upgrade for the ZyXEL Prestige 643 ADSL Router that comes standard with all TeleSoho orders. The TeleSoho firmware upgrade is necessary for some TeleSoho customers that are trying to
1. Change their IP configuration from 1 IP address with NAT to 5 static IP addresses
2. Connect to XBox Live or other online gaming sites."

Bill do you have the 1.5/384 or 1.5/128 via EL? If you are on 1.5/384 how come EL users don't have the 643 out of curiosity?
[text was edited by author 2003-04-06 01:04:00]

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall

MVM

EL ships whatever they have in stock and whatever works. I've got a "special" 642M myself.

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
TP-Link Archer C7
Linksys WRT54GS
Linksys WRT54G v4

Bill_MI to gdm

MVM

to gdm
said by gdm:
Bill do you have the 1.5/384 or 1.5/128 via EL? If you are on 1.5/384 how come EL users don't have the 643 out of curiosity?
Thanks for the info. Hall covered the modems pretty well . I have the 1.5/384 service which is why my SafeMode is 928/384. It's also why I keep my ears open for ways to actually get 1.5m.

BTW, several people around the time I signed up got these "P645" modems from Earthlink. There is no plain-old "P645". Only further research found it to be a P645M-11 (or darn close). I determined this by getting the f/w off the unit and comparing it to f/w on the ZyXEL site - and got a byte-by-byte match! There isn't a lot of desire for ZyXEL or Earthlink to make these custom-ISP models well documented.

EDIT: Notice how your Alcatel Version is 3.8.164? My P645 is 3.8.124. Chances are this refers to the DSP-based chips and/or microcode that actually do the phone line signal conditioning. This is golden info to someone about possible performance issues I'm looking for - finding such people has not been successful. This engineer would love to talk to another inside this technology. I'd run out and get a Bla-Bla model Bla if someone told me it was the most advanced for noise.
[text was edited by author 2003-04-06 15:24:33]

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

Bill,

I have to agree with you. Zyxel seems to lack good documentation. Also, I agree about the various 645 models. When I was looking for documentation (limited) on the 643 I couldn't believe the list of 645 models. Is it really necessary to have that many?

I must tell you I like the fact I can see the noise margins myself. Other then that I really don't care.

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
TP-Link Archer C7
Linksys WRT54GS
Linksys WRT54G v4

Bill_MI

MVM

Well, GDM And CCarlin - you have the latest for Covad on the P643 - V2.50(AY.4). I found out Earthlink hasn't officially blessed the latest for my P645 (which I got online anyway) which is V2.50(EK.4).

But to the best of his knowledge, no ADSL parameters are invloved in these upgrades. Two people claiming a few more db of noise margin is significant, though.

CCarlin - I'm really curious how your performance is on the new f/w. I may want to have a backup modem before attempting to FLASH my P645 - these ISP-unique versions make me nervous.
Bill_MI

Bill_MI to gdm

MVM

to gdm
Well, I did it anyway. I'll have days of data for noise margins to compare.

Hey! Looky this...

was:
ZyNOS S/W Version: V2.50(EK.3) | 8/31/2001
ADSL Chipset Vendor: Alcatel, Version 3.8.124

now:
ZyNOS F/W Version: V2.50(EK.4) | 9/19/2002
ADSL Chipset Vendor: Alcatel, Version 3.8.164

A distinct Alcatel revision - maybe there is some microcode updated in the phone line stuff. At least I'm not down!

EDIT:
Holy Cow! It is definitely a jump in noise margin:

1/2 hour ago:
noise margin downstream: 10.0 db

now:
noise margin downstream: 13.5 db

But will it equate with stability in FastPath? A step in the right direction is indicated.
[text was edited by author 2003-04-07 20:37:34]

gdm
MVM
join:2001-06-15
Mchenry, IL

gdm

MVM

Bill what's the noise margins?

Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
TP-Link Archer C7
Linksys WRT54GS
Linksys WRT54G v4

Bill_MI

MVM

Sorry, I edited after excitement! I have lots of noise margin data (every hour since last April... no kidding!).

I'll be able to plot noise margin (downstream is the limiting factor) for a week before and a week after, I hope.
[text was edited by author 2003-04-07 20:41:45]