Covad ISP

[r8500]

Does anyone in the Chicago area use Covad for their DSL service. If so, how is their service. What can you tell me about it?

Thanks,

[Rob R.]

I work for Covad. I can probably tell you more than you need to know.

There is one inherint problem in Chicago, their phone lines travel through the sewers. This isn't a great thing when something goes wrong and the field service technicians have to close down a lane on a street to crawl down a manhole and check it out.

Here is the deal though. The best thing to do is just order it and choose the self install. This way you don't have much to lose if it doesn't work. The cost of the modem is free after rebate and there is a 30 day trial period that you can cancel without early termination fees. DSL is a bit of a craps shoot. You have to have good copper to your house. You have to have a relatively recent NID on the outside of the house and you have to have good inside wiring and outlets. Any one of these can cause a major problem. In most cases, all are good though.

So again, the only way to know is to order it and see how well it works for you. If Covad doesn't work, don't think any DSL company is going to do anything better for you. Just try cable at that point.

Best of luck...

[r8500]

Actually Bob, this is for a business in the Chicago area. They actually currently have Covad. they seems to having some issues staying connected to a server in another city through terminal services, and I was wondering if Covad in Chicago maybe had some known bandwith issues.

Can you provide any information on that to me, do they have peak times of the day, when service could be interupted for a second or two. Are there times when the bandwitch can get completely absorbed.

Thanks for all your information:)

[Rob R.]

Do you know if you have SDSL, IDSL, or a T1 by chance?

I would just call Covad at 888-642-6823 and have them open a trouble ticket and check your line. If you have a T1, there is another number they will transfer you to.

You should not experience slow downs at any point throughout the day. The maintenance window is betweem 1am - 3am local time so that should not be the problem. :)

[r8500]

Hey, Rob, what kind of router do they normally give out. I think its a funny brand, one that I don't have much experience with, can you help me out. Any info is much appreciated.

Thanks :t

[Rob R.]

Covad uses a couple of Zyxels, an Effecient Networks Speedstream, a Netopia, and a Flowpoint currently. There are a couple of others they no longer use. It really depends on what type of service you ordered.

[r8500]

Zyxel, thats the one, do you know anything about them, or do you know a site where I can get on-line documentation. Thanks :)

[Rob R.]

Assuming you have TeleSOHO service, you probably have a Zyxel 643 router with a 4 port switch. You can go here (http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1022048291&indexcate1=1021877946&indexFlagvalue=1021873638) for more information regarding it. Keep in mind though that Covad has a special version of this router so the firmware is slightly different from the one at this link. If you have had Covad for less than a year though, it is still under warranty and will be replaced for free if it is found to be faulty by Covad.

If your business only required a bridge then you probably have a Zyxel 645 which can be found here (http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1022049050&indexcate1=1021877946&indexFlagvalue=1021873638). I say probably because the 643 can be set to bridging mode after a firmware upgrade.

Did you call Covad yet?