Mode/Router Firmware question

Kriista · Post by **Kriista** » May 25, 2007, 3:44 pm

I recently got vigin broadband, it came with a normal(cable) modem. I still have my old Westell Versalink 327W that I had when I had bellsouth as an ISP. After some preliminary tests I figured I couldnt just use it as a router, but after some more googling it turns out you can.

Now, I'm not very good at wireless/networking type things. I know enough to build a computer, and to setup simple networking things, but this is over my head here.

While changing the settings with instructions from here:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,17342678

the router froze or seomthing similar. the DSL light stopped flashing, so I'm assuming the WAN setting was succesful, but I couldnt get back to the router menu no matter what I did. So I pressed the reset button on the back of the modem/router.

This reset it back to default installation mode, where it asks me for my username/password (bellsouth ones) after putting anything in, it goes to a 'DSL sync' screen, and stays there, presumably trying to connect to the nonexistant DSL service.

I guess my question is, is there anyway around this? Perhaps via some router commands, or alternate(non-bellsouth) firmware?

It would be a shame to have to buy another wireless router just because this one is stuck at a step, even though it would do what I would want it to do.

noel · Post by **noel** » May 25, 2007, 4:25 pm

I would seriously recommend not wasting your time on this. This is in no way meant to sound rude or dismissive, but I think you'll be far better served just purchasing a newer wireless router. They're really cheap these days, even if you get it somewhere like Best Buy you'll only pay like $50 for the lower end models. You can get them far cheaper online.

The configuration will be MUCH easier.
The featureset and security functionality will be far better.
The ability to move to a higher speed wireless connection when you're ready for it will be there.

This Linksys is excellent and currently you get a free 2GB USB flash drive with it for the low price of $49.99.

If you really want to pursue this, I'll look into it a bit more, but I think your time is worth more than that.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » May 25, 2007, 4:45 pm

I agree... I didn't want to say anything but this is a silly idea. It wasn't meant to be anything but a DSL modem with wireless.

Even for $40 you can get a wireless router.

Kriista · Post by **Kriista** » May 25, 2007, 5:07 pm

You guys sold me. I had internally resigned to that, but I figured I'd ask incase there was something glarinly easy I hadn't tried.

Thanks for the suggestions/help.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 25, 2007, 5:21 pm

I bought a router for 24.99 at Fry's a month ago. I only needed it for the WAN port for my cable modem as I have a gigabit switch but it has wireless 802.11g and other crap I don't need. Still, routers are cheap these days.

The reason I needed it was that the router I had was so old, the WAN port was only 10 Mbps as way back when I got it, no cable services could provide 10+Mbps. The newer routers have 10/100Mbps WAN ports. It made a big difference, I was getting 11.60 Mbps and now get a steady 12.65Mbps with the 25-30Mbps speed boosts.

So, just FYI, if you have an ancient router and you get a cable service that's 10+Mbps, make sure your router has a 10/100 WAN port!

The gigabit routers are coming down in price now so there shouldn't be a need for both router and switch anymore...unless you have more than four network thingies to connect..which I do...bah.

Post by **Xouqoa** » May 25, 2007, 6:15 pm

Winnow wrote:unless you have more than four network thingies to connect..which I do...bah.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » May 25, 2007, 6:32 pm