125M : Vmng300

[zekeisaszekedoes]

Originally Posted by Masque

The argument now is a bit like the one that used to rage about VHS and Betamax and the winner this time is the hubs as the will be no return to the VMNG300 especially as the rumours now say that the Superhub will be built by another company for Virginmedia and if correct this will be the final nail in the coffin of the VMNG300.

It will if it works correctly across the whole network, not just some UBRs.

Originally Posted by Masque

So why not get a grip and accept that the VMNG300 will be consigned to the annals of history and that soon any cries to try and get a VMNG300 from other sources will be answered with a "Sorry but we are only able to supply you with the Superhub so take it or leave it".

Because customers want what works now, not what might work correctly 100% after a half dozen more botched firmware updates. The Ambit modems are quality products, simple and do the job well. Ambit 250 (well, the nearest neighbour 256) modem is still on the inventory; I know because I was offered a like-for-like swap when speaking to an offshore trying to get the Ambit 300.

Just because something is old, doesn't mean you throw it away, especially if it still has a use. Plenty of people still getting good performance from their older technology, me being one of them (I have a 20-year-old Phillips CM8833-II that I use as a kitchen monitor for one of my media centres for example).

In the case of my VMNG300, even if the bridge mode on the Super Hub is perfect it still draws more power than the standalone modem to do the same job. Assuming VM are going to stick with four downstreams for services of 100Mb or below and that the flagship tier isn't even available in my region yet, this makes it the best piece of kit for the job.

Originally Posted by Masque

It never has been a fallback plan, and personally it should never have been allowed to happen as it generates unwarranted calls for a device that is no longer supplied.

Hardly. The ones insistent enough to go through to the CEO's office probably know enough about these things that they don't need support. And even if they do, the VMNG300 is even simpler than the Ambit 250/255/256. The web GUI doesn't even have a password, for example! Five lights, three connectors on the back, absolute childs play to install. And as I've said before, far quicker to connect and have removed from the walled garden than the Super Hub was.

I personally like the idea of using your own modem; if you're talking about a way to get support staff costs down, that's got to be one. You sign a disclaimer that you're using third-party CPEs you supplied and the impetus is on you to make sure it's compliant with VM's infrastructure. Not that I'm worried about that with a flawless modem, but the option to do so in the future would no doubt help VM stay on top.

Another thought was, extend customer beta testing extensively. Perhaps give a customer one month free service (for example) as they test the new CPEs and maybe not just for broadband, making sure that this free offer is only valid if the beta kit is continuously connected so can receive patches etc, and customers don't complain about outages but report them directly to VM, either via email or if the problem is network based then over the phone. I, for one, would love to do something like that.

[Chrysalis]

Personally I dont think they been thrown away as that is a very silly thing to do, I still think as I was told that they will be gathered up to take to the CEO office for allocation to customers that complain.

[craigj2k12]

it would be pretty cool if you could buy your own modem though

[jb66]

They won't be thrown out, it's like when the stop error on a faulty batch of samsungs appeared, they had sa boxes ready to be refurbed

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by jb66

They won't be thrown out, it's like when the stop error on a faulty batch of samsungs appeared, they had sa boxes ready to be refurbed

Not really the same thing. Samsung and SA V+HD boxes are in the supply chain at the same time and are interchangeable.

The Hubs are only CPE being issued going forward (excluding like for like swaps) same as the V HD box has been the only non-PVR box installed since last year (again excluding like for like swaps).

[Welshchris]

Originally Posted by Masque

Why would we blame our modem.

how many techs pay a house call and all they do is change the modem\hub when theres nothing wrong and its usually either network or cab fault which they cant be assed to check.

So yes u wanna ask that again seriously?

[Nopanic]

Originally Posted by craigj2k11

it would be pretty cool if you could buy your own modem though

Agreed .. that would be cool .. but difficult to support

[craigj2k12]

Originally Posted by Nopanic

Agreed .. that would be cool .. but difficult to support

not really, it would be a fairly big job to remove the current control system, but it could probably be adapted to support a username and password, which most routers have the option to do... a quick firmware update (or 4) would allow the superhub to use the username and password option. it would work the same as adsl, the link is negotiated, but no traffic allowed until the modem has done a handshake with the CMTS

[jb66]

Originally Posted by Welshchris

how many techs pay a house call and all they do is change the modem\hub when theres nothing wrong and its usually either network or cab fault which they cant be assed to check.

So yes u wanna ask that again seriously?

Cant be assed to check? So how do we go about checking the cab or network fault? What tools do we use and what are we looking for mr expert?

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

You missed the point, I wouldnt be replacing it in the first place. If I made the decision here is what I would have done.

It is not going to return so this thread is pretty pointless as it is just purely about a modem that is no longer being manufactured and has been superseded by the Superhub.

---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:43 ----------

Originally Posted by zekeisaszekedoes

It will if it works correctly across the whole network, not just some UBRs.

See above, the Superhub is the future and once R27 arrives you can use your own router.

[jb66]

Originally Posted by Masque

It is not going to return so this thread is pretty pointless as it is just purely about a modem that is no longer being manufactured and has been superseded by the Superhub.

---------- Post added at 19:44 ---------- Previous post was at 19:43 ----------


See above, the Superhub is the future and once R27 arrives you can use your own router.

But will it still reboot several times a day?

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by craigj2k11

not really, it would be a fairly big job to remove the current control system, but it could probably be adapted to support a username and password, which most routers have the option to do... a quick firmware update (or 4) would allow the superhub to use the username and password option. it would work the same as adsl, the link is negotiated, but no traffic allowed until the modem has done a handshake with the CMTS

Cable modems don't use username and passwords. Access is by MAC address

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by jb66

But will it still reboot several times a day?

Bit of a generalisation there. They don't all do that. Mine never has and same goes for most customers.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Welshchris

how many techs pay a house call and all they do is change the modem\hub when theres nothing wrong and its usually either network or cab fault which they cant be assed to check.

So yes u wanna ask that again seriously?

Do you have access to the online tools that I do, of course not and if used correctly with the correct settings we can tell a lot about your connection in a few minutes including the power levels without you logging in to the modem, the uptime and even what is connected to the modem, plus it will tell us specific faults and the tier of speed you are on.

The is very little that I cannot ascertain from an online modem which I can even reboot remotely if required.

---------- Post added at 19:51 ---------- Previous post was at 19:49 ----------

Originally Posted by jb66

But will it still reboot several times a day?

See my signature below, mine has never rebooted spontaneously in the 3 moths that I have had it.

[craigj2k12]

Originally Posted by Masque

See my signature below, mine has never rebooted spontaneously in the 3 moths that I have had it.

my signature focuses on facts and accuracy