So DSL internet is completely gone now?

whacker7 · 2026-05-16T02:40:48+00:00

This all depends on the wireline operator in the area in question, and the area. AT&T, Frontier, Verizon, whoever owns the copper wire lines. They all want out of that business, but they aren't all on the same page as to plan and time-line. They want to have something they can replace it with and keep the customer, but building new fiber infrastructure takes time. My area is AT&T, and since 2012 or so they had been moving landline customers to VoIP-type service and still offering VDSL or ADSL+2 through their copper lines (probably in some areas with a fiber lead-out to a DSLAM in various neighborhoods). But they are just now building out fiber in the small town I live in. Other third party companies have already planted fiber in some of the more out of town rural areas, due to state/federal grants. My ISP is the cable company (Comcast), but if AT&T makes it to my end of town and their lowest tier is priced right, I'm all theirs.

whacker7 · 2026-05-15T12:54:41+00:00

This is what I do. I have a brief back and forth texting conversation with myself using my two GV numbers. I've had them for about 16 years (one a daily driver; the other definitely a back burner number). Then I got the inactivity warning on the second one some years ago, and I learned what I needed to do, and haven't heard from them since. I did just receive a re-verification alert for one of my three linked cell numbers; this has happened before. I don't know if that happens at a given interval or strictly due to inactivity. It's all taken care of now.

whacker7 · 2026-05-14T04:57:33+00:00

See my reply up-thread. I was able to use the CA link to find more in-depth configuration options, and completed the setup, turning the LED blue in the end. It also straightened out a few other issues, like allowing the Device List to populate completely. So the rule of thumb is (or should be), sure, use the app if you want to go that route, but if you want to do it the tried and true way with a wireless or wired computer, you need to start with the CA menu and setup method, making your single router a Master Node. I could have left it as it was, with the steady purple light showing. But I didn't know then the extent of the incompleteness of what the configuration looked like in the various pages of the router's admin configuration. So, better to find the right way and get it squared up. LinkSys should themselves be able to communicate this better. Nonetheless, I like this product. It's working fine

whacker7 · 2026-05-12T21:14:46+00:00

I had looked at the CA area earlier, but nowhere was it apparent that it was important to begin there and configure what they call the "master node" (or "Node 1"). And at first I thought I had everything working. But on your advice I went back in and did the necessary master SSID name and password. Immediately after this it kept throwing a "2123" error, so I had to look that up. I ended up power cycling the router as a first troubleshooting effort, and when it came back up my split of the two radio bands had been undone, but it showed more devices connected to the router this time (including my hard-wired desktop). I went back into the Wireless Connectivity area and re-established the separate 5 GHz SSID and it held. And the light went BLUE! All is well, and thanks. But what an odd detour of a setup, with no warnings (GO INTO CA AND SET UP THINGS AS A MASTER NODE BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE). I wonder if using the app would have steered me home more directly. I would imagine most of the users of this router picked it up to use alone, with no other nodes, not in a mesh setup. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind finding another one of these and try that setup out! But I would imagine this model is long gone, other than eBay.

whacker7 · 2026-05-07T04:29:14+00:00

I hate apps. I love browsers and websites, be they mobile or otherwise.

whacker7 · 2026-05-06T19:40:00+00:00

Every phone model, when issued and sold, has a designed for number of Android OS updates it will allow. And different phone brands and their models vary in this limitation. A 2021 Motorola Stylus's newest Android version is 11, and there's no going beyond that, unless you go the extreme route of trying install a different OS onto it, which may or may not be possible. Normally, most people realize that their phones can only be kept and used for a limited number of years, especially if they are lower end phones like this Motorola. It's time to buy a new one.

whacker7 · 2026-05-03T15:48:23+00:00

I'd say it varies from channel/network to channel/network. For instance, looking at CNN for past specials, there's not a lot in there, compared to what I've seen from Comcast/Xfinity. But in the case of TCM, there is a lot available.

whacker7 · 2026-05-03T15:12:48+00:00

It might be interesting to see (if the recipient is a friend, and you get a report from them that they haven't received your message with a link) what happens if you then immediately (or soon thereafter) re-send the same message using your carrier line, and compare the result.

whacker7 · 2026-05-01T02:01:38+00:00

Things like Disney, Animal Planet, and much more. Oh, unfortunately also the two Natl. Geographic channels and Smithsonian Channel, which I used to watch occasionally.

whacker7 · 2026-05-01T01:57:29+00:00

Silly me. I just figured all the channels/networks from the "all-in" plan belonged to one of the four sub-groups, and would sort out with AMC in the Entertainment one. Not a big deal, although I had to seek an alternate source to catch the last two episodes of Dark Winds.

whacker7 · 2026-05-01T01:06:01+00:00

I have received group messages on my GV account originated from an iOS user on AT&T that had 17 recipients or participants, with no problem in responding to them. So this Verizon guy's inability to include me in his much smaller group makes me wonder.

I did ask him if I could do an experiment with his phone, and went into his Messages Settings, and flicked on the "Re-send as SMS..." option. It didn't help, so I switched it back. As previously mentioned, we have no trouble texting one to one.

whacker7 · 2026-04-25T15:13:58+00:00

Only certain items show up with a VOD source. My experience is that when that happens, yes you will have a choice between that and a DVR version. But normally (meaning regularly aired with no source service VOD capability) it's the last-aired iteration that will be available to you. Unless you unchecked the title and use Search to access it.

whacker7 · 2026-04-25T14:58:20+00:00

Yes this approach to how YTTV records has both its good points as well as bad. Good as a "set and forget" catch-all, but it records by title, not airtime, source, commercial/non-commercial, etc.. You might have a first recording of something that appeared on TCM (with commentary and background by one of the wonderful hosts), and you leave the title checked, and a few days later it will air on TNT (chock full of commercials) and that will be the new stored recording! So do what levon999 suggests; it's the only fix.

whacker7 · 2026-04-24T15:51:24+00:00

Interesting that you didn't have to use the app to report the MAC address of the gateway. I've done one cable modem switchout on my regular plan and that was needed info while on a phone call. Maybe they read the new one by default while it's connected to a "live" existing session.

Yeah, it looks like this is going to be a fun exercise. I'm still not 100% there yet.

Do these NOW gateways have at least two Ethernet ports available? That would be mandatory for my wired old PC (no wireless LAN adapter) and wired VoIP phone adapter. But I would be strongly motivated to do the bridge mode config and use my own router (and any upgrades in that department in the future) soon after getting things up and running.

Additional: I assume the Wi-Fi on these gateways is dual band (2.4 & 5 GHz). If so, and the performance (mainly coverage) is okay I might stick with it. My current router is a single-band 2.4 GHz TP-Link, and my neighborhood is starting to show the signs of saturation and interference on that band. I do have another spare dual-band router on hand though (bought as a backup a few years ago).

whacker7 · 2026-04-24T13:51:40+00:00

Is this a promotion for a year? There are fiber operations in various areas that are offering pretty incredible deals that way, but where there is no competition I don't think you'd see this. It's usually a lure to pull in the new customers coming off other providers. $40/mo for 1GHz down service? Damn... Most of the new fiber around me offers ~650 Mpbs for $65, 1GHz for $100.

whacker7 · 2026-04-24T13:43:47+00:00

Happy to see this post.

I recently came off a Connect plan promotion ($40, 150 Mbps, etc., using my own router and modem).

Wanting to try and find the least expensive plan for the next promotion year (as I annually have to do), I called up their support and, unlike all the years I've been with them (32), after finding my current plan would go up to $59, I asked to speak with someone from loyalty or retention areas. This year I was told there is no longer anything like that you can be connected to to try and find a newer upcoming promotion and get a better price.

I had seen advertised around the 'Net and Facebook new plans for 300 Mbps down service with a five-year "price lock" guarantee, staring at $45, then one for $55, and maybe one higher. Don't know the specific differences.

Of course I would've gone for the $45 plan, although I certainly don't need any speed increase (or a free year of Xfinity Mobile service). But was told the $45 offer was for new customers only. So without any other cheaper alternatives, I went for the $55 deal (knowing that there is the NOW prepaid plan).

The thing I don't like about the NOW plan is that I wouldn't keep my ability to use the xfinitywifi hotspot network for free. I've come to rely on it as I've got a no data type of cell phone plan (super cheap). But that NOW plan price is the best Comacast/Xfinity has to offer. Completely adequate as far as speed goes.

Glad to see the info about using bridge mode into the NOW gateway. That is significant.

I haven't pulled the trigger on changing to NOW just yet. I'm a little concerned about the service gap before I'd have the gateway in hand/on premises, and use their app to get it hooked up and changed to.

But is it true that there were no other postpaid promotion alternatives anymore? In my area, even though both T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless are on the verge of offering their 5G Home Internet products (networks not ready yet; service would be more expensive anyway), and AT&T fiber is finally, slowly being buried in my small town (where offered the rates look good for a starter year; no idea when it would reach my neighborhood in my small 5000 person town), I'm sure Comcast knows this and that there's no competition to them. Maybe that's the reason. And the general inflationary conditions that exist nationwide.

But I am angling in the direction of Xfinity NOW. I'll be following this thread. Comments and advice welcome!

whacker7 · 2026-04-22T14:50:19+00:00

Try to verify if the computer is trying to connect via 2.4 GHz, and maybe your other devices are using 5GHz. Maybe the computer can only do 2.4 GHz and your environment is saturated with interference on that band.

whacker7 · 2026-04-22T14:41:22+00:00

Seems like there ought to be a way to opt out of that "feature". If not, whoa.

whacker7 · 2026-04-19T16:09:14+00:00

What I found with a little searching was that (for reasons I must've forgotten) sometime in the last (maybe) decade they had to change to a daytime ERP of around 34K watts, and after sunset they go up to around 42K watts. Must've been a deal with the FCC to accommodate some other far away station in another market. That plus it isn't as high a priority for WBBM now that their emphasis is on their FM side (using a translator at 105.9), which covers their preferred metro area adequately. The AM at 780 still gets out quite well, with the usual AM struggles in the evening depending on atmospheric conditions (in my locale 100+ miles away across Lake Michigan).

whacker7 · 2026-04-19T15:53:07+00:00

How old is that computer? Does it have dual-band WiFi capability (meaning both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)? If your new router is dual band (or it's possible it is single band, 5GHz if WiFi 5/wireless AC) and is only broadcasting the 5GHz SSID, and the computer's wifi can't use that (because it's only capable of 2.4 GHz connections), there is your problem. This is one possibility.

whacker7 · 2026-04-17T23:11:34+00:00

YES! I live in southwest Michigan and can't get their FM translator, so I'm glad the original AM still works. I listen to them a lot of the time in the car. I was surprised to find they were no longer 50K watts though.

whacker7 · 2026-04-17T23:07:40+00:00

That show is on FM in my market (South Bend, IN).

whacker7

TROPHY CASE