How should modem and router devices, which are one of the main factors affecting our internet speeds, be chosen?
No matter what speed our internet services and infrastructures offer, modems are one of the main factors affecting the result in the speed test . The fact that the modem is of high quality in terms of hardware and antenna structure always keeps you 1-0 ahead.
If you have a speed of 1000 Mbps and above on a fiber infrastructure, it means that you will not be able to benefit from this speed if you use a bad or incompatible modem. This suggests that there may be a problem with the infrastructure, making it difficult to detect a problem.
In this article, I will basically talk about the common infrastructure types in our country and which modem types should be used in accordance with these infrastructures.
Find out your internet username and password
There is an important point before modem and router replacement. In xDSL-based systems, your internet WAN information, that is, your internet user name and password, can be automatically retrieved with TR069 (service provider communication protocol). However, this situation may be different for fiber lines and rarely xDSL lines.
Your current modem does not always provide this information, but some makes and models clearly show WAN information. Go to the WAN section of your modem’s Internet Connection menus, if your current information is confidential, all you have to do is contact your internet service provider.
Many Internet service providers provide this information. However, it should be noted that there is a rare case of not being shared.
Modem preference according to infrastructure types
Currently, xDSL (such as VDSL and ADSL) and fiber infrastructures are widely used in Turkey. These infrastructures also need modems of their own types. For example, when you look at modems in online shopping sites, you will see phrases such as VDSL2+ or ADSL. These phrases completely represent the infrastructures you use.
Choosing a modem for ADSL and VDSL
Today, it can be said that there are almost only modems with ADSL support left. As VDSL-based modems became widespread, it was no longer necessary to develop a model specific to ADSL. The reason for this is that modems support xDSL technology retrospectively. However, this requires effort.
VDSL supported modems are set to operate in VDSL mode as standard. Users who want to use these modems in ADSL infrastructures can start using their internet by editing the infrastructure type as ADSL from the modem interface. Let’s point out that this is not always the case, there are models that can automatically detect xDSL infrastructure.
The speed you can get in xDSL infrastructures is quite limited compared to fiber infrastructures. In this case, although the modems you choose do not have to be extremely fast, it is important to choose quality models for a smooth internet experience.
There are many reasons why we say this. Among the most important of these are connection problems and security vulnerabilities after warming up.
Choosing a modem for fiber infrastructure
In fiber infrastructures, the situation is a little different. There are 2 types of fiber internet usage scenarios in our country. For this reason, the modem and router models you choose must comply with these usage scenarios.
The first of these scenarios is valid where large finishing devices, which are frequently preferred in mass housing areas, are used. The purpose of these devices is to distribute the fiber line coming from the building to the apartments with ethernet cables in CAT standard. In this way, there is only one modem / router device in the house of the users and a connection to the internet is provided with the WAN cable coming to the flat.
In this scenario, you can distribute the connection to your devices in your home with a router without any terminator (ONT device) in the apartment. These routers are usually sold under the name of fiber support, one WAN port and PPPoE (network protocol) support. These two features are essential in this scenario. So the router models you choose must support these features.
The second usage scenario in fiber infrastructure represents the use of modem and router used after the ONT termination device, which is also common. In this scenario, the finishing devices called ONT specific to the apartment come into play instead of the finishing devices specific to the building just before. These devices are the places where the fiber line ends and then the internet connection is transferred to modem or router devices.
If your internet service provider has allocated you an ONT device separately, you have to use an external router. In other words, you need to choose a router with a WAN port as in the first scenario.
However, today, there are devices that act both as ONT, that is, as a terminator, and as a modem/router. These devices eliminate the need for an external router or modem, allowing a single device to be connected.
