Comments on: DSL Hell – Or – Screw You, AT&T

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:00:00 +0000

And — I forgot — they told me I had to buy a $100 modem. I asked them if there were any other options, since I wasn’t able to get TV from their “Uverse” package in the building. They had to talk to a supervisor, but I was allowed to buy an $80 one.

The same modem that was being used in 2003. And in 2005. And in 2008 when I got AT&T (by no other choice) a 3rd time. 4th time, same tiny piece of plastic. They probably make 80% of the money in profit on those.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:57:48 +0000

AT&T is dumb. Whenever possible i go with ANYONE BUT AT&T. Comcast is amazing — and really, there is no comparison for speeds between DSL and Cable. DSL = real world 80Kb/s uploads. Cable = real world 1Mb/s Uploads — between 10 and 20 times faster. Downloads the same, plus you can still watch HD Streams while uploading tons of files.

Unfortunately AT&T is very good at making sure they are the only option in many, many places. Like the place I’m in now — downtown L.A., so no cable. And guess what? NO OTHER OPTION BESIDES AT&T.

And guess how fast it is for $50/month?? Their second slowest option. For $10 more a month, Comcast cable’s speeds are 5 times as fast.

And yes, AT&T installed tons of crap that I didn’t need . They did have the forsight to realize that the “home page” I set my browser to wasn’t really what I wanted . They realized that and changed it for me, since they knew I must be a dummy. They changed my personal settings on my computer. Not just the behind-the-scenes stuff, but the actual personal settings.

Fuck AT&T.

By: highlander

highlander — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:20:20 +0000

I had the exact same problem like you! Fortunately, I couldn’t install their crappy software on my PC. (this was in 2005). It just wouldn’t install. I discovered I really didn’t need their software when I connected my computer and it just worked. I had to enter a username and password on the DSL modem to configure it. That was it.

When I mentioned this to the tech guy on the phone, he had no explanation. He just let it go.

By: Carlos Ballejo

Carlos Ballejo — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:25:20 +0000

Yes you are absolutly right
i just received a new modem after my old one broke and this new one already broke it goes off not letting me get on the internet really messes with my work time and it erritates me like hell

yes ever since i installed the att modem software my computer dropped from 3.45 running speed to 2.95 and im very mad

i totally agree with you i need to buy a different modem seeing how they only give these for free

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:31:48 +0000

I recently got AT&T DSL too in St. Louis, Missouri. I just wanted a dry loop so I could use callvantage voip. I didn’t have a choice but to install their software. I had to use it to create my username and password.

Don’t even bother calling DSL support, it’s all outsourced. I’m now accustomed to calling their cancellation department for support.

I thought anything would be better than Charter Cable’s customer service. I was very wrong.

The only thing I have good to say about the service is AT&T’s bandwidth pipe to a lot of places is a lot better than Charter’s and the service has been rock solid ever since I plugged it in. They also give you credit for service outages, something I have never seen before in my life.

By: Wrangler

Wrangler — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:30:00 +0000

I had the same problem. I recently lost connection & upon re-establishing the connection I was directed to an AT&T webpage that said they had detected that I needed new software to connect. I tried to avoid downloading their software but every other webpage I went to was pre-empted by this AT&T page. Once I downloaded their software, I got a connection but lost all of my passwords in my keychain & now my keychain seems permanently broken. Upon restart, my computer won’t remember any passwords so I have to reenter my internet connect password every start up & I have lost all my website passwords.
I now hate AT&T and their bogus software. I am switching to Comcast cable internet. So long AT&T.

Anyone heard of similar problems with comcast?

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:56:59 +0000

I would be happy to get anything, even if it is buggy, besides this craptastic Hughesnet. Please if you know anyone, or even if you meet someone on the street that is thinking about getting HughesNet tell them to do their research. HughesNet sucks! It is absolutley worthless for gaming, streaming video, downloading large files, and internet phone. Virtually anything you get broadband internet for it cannot do. Its service as a whole is an EPIC FAIL. Avoid at all costs unless you have no other option to dial up, and even then seriously consider it. You get locked into a 24 month contract and it runs a minimal of $60 a month.

By: wow

wow — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:31:20 +0000

I’ve had nothing but problems with AT&T modems. I’ve gone through 6 modems in a year and a half. The garbage is made in China and overheats and fails. And yes they do put a trojan into your system when loading the software. If you try to contact them all you get is misery. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else for your DSL service.

By: Derek Park

Derek Park — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:09:56 +0000

John, I did that. It didn’t work. It refused to connect until I went through the software setup process.

By: John

John — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:57:15 +0000

that’s a motorola 2100 modem. you do not need to install any software to make it work. just access the modem’s GUI and put in your username and password and you should be able to get on the Internet.

the trojan your AV detected is probably that tool they have to check for QOS. irritating, but not quite dangerous.

funny you should get pissed just after a few hours. that’s not the end of it, believe me.