Ted Fahy Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 Quick question - Recent arrival to Ajijic and have this old Telmex Arcadyan DSL modem... We already have an account with Telmex, but I know little about their system. After (not if) I purchase my own WiFi Modem/Router, will it automatically interface with the Telmex server when I plug in the ethernet cable? OR: Will I need to keep the old one and downstream a second WiFi router? Thnx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 You can purchase a Telmex modem on Mercado Libre. They are not expensive and are plug 'n play. I purchased two, tested them both and now I have a back up just in case. I bought them after receiving TWO dead modems from the Ajijic Telmex themselves. They do not test modems that are turned in to see if they actually work... they just recycle them to unsuspecting clients. I have the last dead modem saved in a box since it has been entered into their system. It is the one they will receive back when I go in to turn my service into just a plain old telephone line when I get connected to iLox. The only hiccup I had was in having to contact my solar provider to come and interface one of the new modems so their tracking system (which I read online) could do its job. Other than that all systems are working without problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 13, 2019 Report Share Posted February 13, 2019 I’m a little confused about what you are asking, but.... One must have a TelMex DSL modem AND an Internet account with TelMex. Whether your old Telmex Arcadyan modem will work is. a crapshoot. Telmex ‘may’ require you to use one of their current models.... Take Ferret’s recommendation and buy a backup Telmex modem on Mercado Libre. You’ll probably need it. BTW, those modems are are both eternernet and wifi. IF you want to also purchase a wifi/router to use ‘behind’ the Telmex modem, yes just plug it into the modem and use it for whatever reasons you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Unless it is broken, your Arkadyan modem will work fine. It's not that old. Do you know the model number... is it a black one? Only TelMex modems work with TelMex Internet, and there are several brands now. You will not need a second router for WiFi. All TelMex modems in the last 8 or 9 years have been WiFi modem routers. The only reason to purchase a TelMex modem (they don't sell them themselves) is as a backup or... as with Ferret... the staff here are just too unconcerned to help, and you can't get a replacement for your duff box. Which is most often the case. The procedure is you must call Mexico City tech support, let them test your lines, and give you a number to pick one up at the TelMex office, or courier you a replacement. Anyone who has gone through this will tell you it's a crapshoot as to which procedure they will make you follow on any given day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Fahy Posted February 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 OK, answers for all three: 1) Model # is VRV8019AW22. It is White and it appears to be working fine. Based on the descriptions on this board, I'll buy a backup. The only residual questions are: a) Any way to discover the mfg. date of the modem? b) Any preferences for the backup model number? c) If I swap the new one in, is it essentially plug and play or is there a procedure to get it up and running? 2) At home, I have a Comcast Modem but because of the number of devices we had running wirelessly I got my own WiFi router to daisychain to the Comcast Router (whose WiFi I don't use). I'll likely do the same thing here. 3) Rick, I do understand the the modems are both ethernet and wi-fi. Sorry for the poor explanation. 4) Ferret, great idea to retain the old one. Thanks for the heads-up. One NEW question: I have an HP P2055dn b&w laserjet that's a workhorse. At home, I used it via a usb hub connected to my router as a network printer. Can I use the USB port on the Telmex router to connect my printer to the wifi network? T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 1. That's a fine modem, only 3 or 4 years old, and is WiFi "n" standard capable; no TelMex modems have ac except the Huawei HG659 dual band, which is no longer available from TelMex. The VRV is one that bumped the WiFi distance and strength by 10% over previous models. All current TelMex modems are the same. 2. You can use any brand router/extender as long as a TelMex modem is the first in line. Of course, "daisychaining" means connection via ethernet cable, not via WiFi. The USB hub and the VOIP port on all TelMex modems are not active. A serious case of the company not having a clue what they are buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 20 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said: 2. You can use any brand router/extender as long as a TelMex modem is the first in line. Of course, "daisychaining" means connection via ethernet cable, not via WiFi. Are you talking about a range or network extender? A range extender uses WiFi. A network extender uses a cable. https://www.actiontec.com/wifihelp/wifibooster/differences-wifi-booster-wifi-extender-wifi-repeater/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 As I mentioned, daisychaining is not a term used with WiFi, generally speaking. Range extender is not specific to WiFi, and network extender is not specific to ethernet. Repeater/extender/booster are usually the terms reserved for wireless networking, although I would consider "booster" a lay term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 1 hour ago, ComputerGuy said: Range extender is not specific to WiFi Can you show me an example of a wifi range extender that is not connected by wifi? I have never seen one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 I didn't say "WiFi" range extender; I said "range extender". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Oh, I thought we talking about wifi. If you want to very general terms, "daisy chaining" does not need a cable according to the Urban Dictionary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Fahy Posted February 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 CG - I understood. Yup, I daisychain with ethernet up north as well. Thanks for the info. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 I "daisy chain" from one level to another and range extend to the back area Size, layout, and construction materials of a house help determine what equipment is needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in Ajijic Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 I’m a bit confused. I want to get a better wireless router that I would plug the Telmex cable into. The speed of the real old one was slow so I am hoping that is the weak link. So can I buy one somewhere in lakeside area that would maybe help? Could I bring one from the US that would be comparable? Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Test your Internet speed using speedof.me or speedtest.net. That will give you the information you need. It doesn't matter how strong your WiFi device is, it can't improve your basic speed. Extenders/repeaters/boosters can improve the distance only. And of course the signal weakens the further it extender gets from the original modem. The subject is a tad more complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybertramp Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 " An extender that uses WiFi will usually see some speed loss. Because they're communicating with the router over Wi-Fi, there's a big speed drop if the extender talks to your devices on the same band it's using to talk to the router." YouTube has several excellent videos on WiFi bands and range extenders. https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/5-easy-tips-to-improve-your-wi-fi-signal-for-better-streaming-2019-update/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 14 hours ago, Mike in Ajijic said: I’m a bit confused. I want to get a better wireless router that I would plug the Telmex cable into. The speed of the real old one was slow so I am hoping that is the weak link. So can I buy one somewhere in lakeside area that would maybe help? Could I bring one from the US that would be comparable? Thanks for your help! Mike in Ajijic, termonogly is important. What “Telmex cable”? If you are referring to the telephone line that comes into your house, THAT cable MUST plug into a Telmex Modem. ONLY a Telmex modem can be used as that first connection from the street. That modem has wifi capablilities. Like CG said, run a speed test to see how fast your service from Telmex is. Run it several times at different times of the day for a baseline. IF you suspect that the Telmex modem’s wireless signal is slow or weak... not reaching throughout your casa.... then potentially one can get a better/stronger wifi signal by purchasing a router and connecting it to your Telmex modem via an ethernet cable. Turn off wifi on your modem and turn it on on the router. Run the speed tests again and see if by adding a new router, and using its wifi signal, has increased your speed and maybe strength throughout the house. If not, then the Telmex modem and wifi was OK, the added router did no good and you are just getting lousy speed from your DSL Telmex service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 1 hour ago, RickS said: Mike in Ajijic, termonogly is important. What “Telmex cable”? If you are referring to the telephone line that comes into your house, THAT cable MUST plug into a Telmex Modem. ONLY a Telmex modem can be used as that first connection from the street. That modem has wifi capablilities. Like CG said, run a speed test to see how fast your service from Telmex is. Run it several times at different times of the day for a baseline. IF you suspect that the Telmex modem’s wireless signal is slow or weak... not reaching throughout your casa.... then potentially one can get a better/stronger wifi signal by purchasing a router and connecting it to your Telmex modem via an ethernet cable. Turn off wifi on your modem and turn it on on the router. Run the speed tests again and see if by adding a new router, and using its wifi signal, has increased your speed and maybe strength throughout the house. If not, then the Telmex modem and wifi was OK, the added router did no good and you are just getting lousy speed from your DSL Telmex service. Before that, connect your pc to the Telmex modem by Ethernet cable (if you can). Run a speed test. That is your base line. That will be the speed of your service, the fastest. Then run a speed test using the wifi from the Telmex modem (if it has wifi) next to the modem. Then retest the wifi where you are going to use the pc or other equipment. Do all three tests with the same pc. How do they compare? With wifi, you have speed and range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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