Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dsl and sbc

How to get my WRT54G router back in the loop?

ZenMasterThis — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 12:38:03 -0800

Is SBC/ATT screwing with my DSL? WinXP, Linksys WRT54G router, Speedstream 5360 modem. Madison, CT. Worked okay for about 7 months. Didn't mess with anything. Suddenly I can only get it to work with the PC plugged directly into the modem.

Is this another one of those customer-hostile moves on SBC's part 'cause they don't want me using a router?

What should I look for in a DSL modem?

Plutor — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 05:13:38 -0800

My DSL modem is fried and out of warrantee. ~~SNET~~ ~~SBC~~ AT&T wants $100 for me to buy a new one, or they'll give me a free one if I sign a new contract. I'll likely be moving in three months, and a hundred dollars is pretty pricey when I can find used ones on eBay for less than twenty. I'm pretty technical, but the problem is that I don't know G.DMT, G.Lite, or T1.413 from a hole in the ground. What requirements should I look for in a DSL modem to be sure that it's compatible? (I'm in Connecticut.)

Why do they torment me? I'm not a bad person, am I?

ZenMasterThis — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 17:33:59 -0800

SpeedStream 5360 DSL modem, SBC Yahoo DSL, Windows XP, and a brand new Linksys WRT54G wireless router. "Easy-setup, gets-you-working-in minutes" CD was of course a complete wash-out. Does a non-geek have a chance in Hell of getting it all to work together? After going through the CD steps I get "Connection to Internet not detected. Make sure PPPoE username and password are corect; power cycle DSL modem and try again." Uh-huh. Still no workie.

I'm not trying to achieve anything fancy; I just want to be able to access the net from both my wired destop PC and my wireless laptop. Thanks.

How Can We Break Ties with SBC?

fenriq — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 15:14:33 -0800

BadServiceFilter: My wife has been getting truly atrocious customer service from SBC recently and has decided that she wants to explore other options for phone, dsl and cellular service. What happened is they disconnected her business phone without sending a notice first, the disconnect notice arrived five days after the disconnect. They give her the runaround on the phone support (telling her it will take 2 days for a supervisor to call back) and basically treating her like dirt. Yesterday she got a "courtesy call" from the billing department letting her know that her bill was due (it wasn't due until today).

So, the question is: How can we extract our phone, DSL and cellular from SBC without paying their ridiculous disconnect fees (which amount to more than the year of service would cost) and what are our other options for phone, internet connectivity and cell?

Or, alternatively, does anyone have a better route to getting decent customer service from SBC?

Help me pick a DSL plan

Saucy Intruder — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 13:15:06 -0800

Help out a DSL n00b. The company: SBC/Yahoo. The location: Connecticut. The more: inside. SBC is offering either (A) 384 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps downstream, 128 to 384 Kbps upstream, for $20/mo, or (B) 1.5 to 3.0 Mbps downstream, 384 to 512 Kbps upstream, for $30/mo. This is compared to Adelphia's $43/month for cable internet service.

Considering that there seems to be no way to test the connection speed at my new house before I order the service, should I go for the $20 or $30 plan? I'm locked into a year-long contract with what I pick. I have no experience with anything other than dialup and my cable connection, so I have no idea if "slower than this" (i.e. my current 1.5mbps) is going to be manageable or noticeable. I don't play a lot of games; I occasionally stream videos, but mostly I use the connection for mindless surfing, chatting and e-mail.

I've tried dslreports.com but feedback from the locals is spotty at best.

Where's My Freebie?

luriete — Thu, 20 Jan 2005 16:41:54 -0800

I "signed" a one-year contract for SBC DSL last month - the higher speed of the two varieties. After a very rocky start where it took them 2 weeks from the activation date to actually activate, I love it. However, I signed up after getting a flyer in the mail for a free mp3 player with 1-year contract. When I called the number, I was told that I should sign up online, which I did. I emailed them last week to ask about the mp3 player and they say I can't have it because that was only for people who signed up over the phone - not online. WTF? The fellow on the phone, when I first called, also told me that I could get the first two months at a discounted rate if I signed up for a whole year as opposed to a shorter term, and I haven't heard hide nor hair of that, either. Is this kind of bait-and-switch behavior common with such a large utility? How do they get away with it?