Actually DSL modems are pretty much Ethernet routers with some
proprietary firmware. Depending on your provider you may or may not be
able to use third party hardware.
I have what used to be AT&T U-Verse, now administrated by Frontier. As
far as I can tell, it's just a variation on a really big packet
switching network, but no one seems to make a "Modem", which isn't
really a modem at all, that will authenticate on that network. Before
AT&T "upgraded" their service to U-Verse, I always used a Netgear DSL
"Modem", after the crappy AT&T supplied unit died, the Netgear units
cost less had a better guarantee lasted longer in service. U-Verse
improved thru-put but the DSL modem contained propitiatory network
recognition firmware.
The only good thing is although the "modem" is captive, it's a much
better unit, only had one fail in about 10 years, and while I would rate
Frontiers customer service as actually worse in some ways than AT&T's,
(which I wouldn't have thought was possible), they actually managed to
make U-Verse more trouble free than AT&T.
There are other options but in the U.S. one is at the mercy of the local
public utilities commission, so there's usually one cable provider that
supplies TV, Phone, and Internet, using a broadband coax solution, that
might or might not need a propitiatory "Modem", one Telephone provider,
which pretty much covers the same spectrum but using an Ethernet over
twisted wire, solution, which might or might not require propitiatory
equipment to connect, (they also supply POTS if you're a Neanderthal
like me), or a satellite system for television and internet,
(downloads), which also may depend on using your phone service, (which
in my case would require a real modem), for some functions, (usually
uploads). You can get any number of Cellphone providers who will have
some sort of data plan and use those for the internet as well, but
usually they're inferior to cable of DSL for serious data transfer.
This is what is called "competition". The real competition is who can
buy the most members of the local PUC board with the the best free
stuff, to protect their local monopoly. In my area it's Comcast, did I
mention that Comcast customer service is if possible even worse than
Frontier's. Frontier is regulated at the State level, so those
commissioners probably get even better perks.
On 1/4/2019 3:24 AM, Steve Cottrell wrote:
Ah apologies - just re-read you post - I thought you had a modem/router
combined. But still, can you not use a 3rd party modem?
--
America wasn't founded so that we could all be better.
America was founded so we could all be anything we damn well please.
- P.J. O'Rourke
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