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I am currently wanting to buy my own router/modem to avoid rental fee from century link. I am currently using Actiontec PK5001A provided by century link which is fine for internet but my wifi is weak in my 4000 sq ft house and does not stay consistent, in certain spots i have wifi and in other spots it comes and goes. My current centurylink internet plan is 3mbps and is ADSL2+ and we live in the country. This is the only plan available to me so i am unable to upgrade my plan. I am looking for a Netgear modem/router and all the one's I have looked at are no where to be found. These are the ones that Netgear has on the website and are for ADSL2+ AC1900 Nighthawk VDSL/ADSL Modem Router Model: D7000 AC1600 WiFi VDSL/ADSL Modem Router Model: D6400 AC1200-WiFi DSL Modem Router Model: D6200 I have looked online and at our local Walmart I found the AC1600 WiFi Modem Router but the model number was different it was Model:R6120 is this the same as model D6400? any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> [...] but my wifi is weak in my 4000 sq ft house [...]
Ok.
> [...] I am looking for a Netgear modem/router [...]
If wireless-network range is your only complaint, then you might do better for less money by adding one or more wireless access points (WAPs) to your existing router.
> [...] D7000 [...] D6400 [...] R6120 [...]
Those "ACxxxx" numbers are wireless-network speeds, not model numbers. Netgear models "Dxxxx" are DSL modem+router units. Netgear models "Rxxxx" are router-only units, with no DSL modem.
Note that there's an older D7000[v1], and a newer D7000v2. I use a D7000[v1] with my CenturyLink (slow) DSL service. I have no experience with the D7000v2, but reports in these forums suggest that the D7000v2 has more/different problems than the D7000[v1].
My D7000[v1] (firmware version V1.0.1.74_1.0.1) suffers seizures from time to time:
I'd be reluctant to recommend either of the D7000[vX] variants.
If the Actiontec PK5001A has a modem-only mode, (and your DSL connection is PPPoE, not PPPoA) then you ought to be able to use it as a DSL modem with almost any wireless router, made by anyone.
Thank you for replying. I am new at this networking stuff. My goal is to stop paying rental fee to century link and purchase my own modem/router combo or modem and router seperate.
I am not sure how to make an access poin so i will research that but I will still need a modem for ADSL2+
I am not sure if my centurylink internet plan is PPPoE I will have to call centurylink again. When I talked to them they are reluctant to give me to much information. I asked them what information I would need to set up my own modem or modem/router combo and they gave me credentials for the following:
They said to make sure whatever i buy states it works with ADSL2+ and gave me the following
PPP user name and password
VPI/CDI information
VLAN: information
That makes sense on the D=DSL and R=Router only. That will make it easier when i am searching online but I have looked online at amazon, Best Buy Staples Tiger Direct, went to walmart and am unable to find any Netgear modems or modem router combos for DSL. It's like they are not available anywhere.
I thought about getting the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi system but i think i still would need a modem.
they have a Orbi CBK40 which has built in modem but im not sure it will work on ADLS2+Centurylink.
If I get a modem only and go with the Orbi is there anything special i need to look for with my 3mbps ADSL2+ internet plan with centurylink?
> My goal is to stop paying rental fee to century link [...]
I'd consider getting a used gizmo from Ebay. See what CenturyLink currently supplies, and look for it/them as well as what you have now.
> I am not sure how to make an access poin [...]
There are purpose-built wireless access points, but many are not aimed at consumers. Almost anything sold as a wireless "extender" can be used in that mode, and practically any wireless router can be configured that way, too. As an example (with good pictures) visit http://netgear.com/support , put in "R7000" for the model number, and look for Documentation. Get the User Manual. Look for "Use the Router as a Wireless Access Point".
> I am not sure if my centurylink internet plan is PPPoE [...]
Look at the management web site for your PK5001A to see how it is configured?
> make sure whatever i buy states it works with ADSL2+ [...]
I'd expect that to be hard to avoid.
> [...] It's like they are not available anywhere.
They're less popular these days. Which is one reason that Ebay can be a good source.
> I thought about getting the Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi system but i think i > still would need a modem.
Yup. Netgear does sell a DM200 DSL modem. (It's really a modem+router with a very lame router, but it does have a modem-only mode.)
> they have a Orbi CBK40 which has built in modem but im not sure it will > work on ADLS2+Centurylink.
Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in that model number, and look for Documentation. Get the Product Data Sheet:
This Orbi WiFi System comes with an Orbi Router with a built-in Cable Modem [...]
"Cable Modem", as in cable-TV. Not suitable for DSL. And like other Netgear cable-TV-type modem+router units (models Cxxxx), it has no Ethernet WAN/Internet port, so you couldn't use it with an external (DSL) modem. Some other Orbi (modemless) router kit could be useful, however, when combined with a suitable DSL modem.
> If I get a modem only and go with the Orbi is there anything special i > need to look for with my 3mbps ADSL2+ internet plan with centurylink?
Practically any router should work. You'd probably want to worry more about the wireless-network features than the actual router features.
Many experienced users go down that road for various reasons.
One is that a modem only box can be pretty cheap. Then if you change your Internet service, from DSL to cable for example, you can get rid of the modem and keep whatever router you choose.
Another reason for having a separate router is that Netgear, and maybe other brands, seem to put more effort into providing timely updates for routers. Modem-routers seem to sit at the back of the queue, especially when it comes to adding new features.
I believe my isp is PPPoe. I am thinking about going with Motorola MD1600 since it’s compatible with my isp and I am having a hard time finding Netgear dsl adsl2+ modems or modem router combos. I will try the Motorola MD1600 then get the Orbi RBK50.
@Donnamw wrote: I believe my isp is PPPoe. I am thinking about going with Motorola MD1600 since it’s compatible with my isp and I am having a hard time finding Netgear dsl adsl2+ modems or modem router combos. I will try the Motorola MD1600 then get the Orbi RBK50.
If you look at the modems available on Amazon and other places they will often say "Centurylink compatible".
Heaven only knows why anyone would mention the issue if it is not relevant to Centurylink. After all, you did say that was the ISP from the outset.
> Heaven only knows why anyone would mention the issue if it is not > relevant to Centurylink. [...]
One possible explanation would be that someone might know that CenturyLink uses PPPoA with some of its customers. Me, for example:
> [...] I use a D7000[v1] with my CenturyLink (slow) DSL service. [...]
The real mystery here is why someone an ocean away from CenturyLink would think that he knows more about CenturyLink DSL service than an actual CenturyLink DSL customer (since 1999, when the relevant piece of CenturyLink was called "US West" (uswest.com), later, Qwest (qwest.com)). (Although a couple of possible explanations do leap to mind...)
You got that much right, at least, as it lists "Qwest" and "US West/Qwest" as ISPs, but not CenturyLink. (And what does it show as the "Type of Encapsulation" for them?)
Thank you for the information. Yes it’s ridiculous the prices here for the modems and routers compared to England. I’ll have to look when I go to visit family in England in December.
> [...] it's ridiculous the prices here for the modems and routers > compared to England. [...]
Who said that Amazon was the only/best source for a DM200?
If I were looking for a DM200 for experimental use (which is a reasonable way to think about any Netgear device these days), I'd look for a used one on Ebay, where, at the moment, $30 - $45 would seem to be enough to obtain any of a bunch of devices.
> [...] I'll have to look when I go to visit family in England [...]
And get one with a non-US power adapter? Wouldn't be my first choice.
@Donnamw wrote: I’ll have to look when I go to visit family in England in December.
Be careful. Models sold in the rest of the world (ROW) may not be the same as those sold in North America. The DSL standards may differ.
They certainly do for wifi. In the US Netgear locks the wifi to US standards whereas in the ROW we are free to change wireless regions. Fortunately, it does not take much effort to "break" the lock. I've done it. But in the case of the DM200 wifi doesn't come into the picture.
One thing you won't have to worry about is the power supply. Even if the label does not say so, again perhaps for legal reasons, Netgear ships dual-standard (100-240 volt) power supplies. Over the years Netgear has sent me several boxes of kit with "wall warts" that say 120 volts. Just for fun's sake I have tried them in 240 outlets. Never had a flash bang wallop. Other people have reversed the process without any problem. In any case, anyone who has been around for more than a year or two will have a box full of redundant power supplies.
Please bring your dollars to the UK. We need them and you will be surprised by how much they are worth now.
