SpeedTouch 330
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Speedtouch line of modems, produced by Alcatel/Thomson, is a type of basic USB ADSL modem. They are primarily shipped among various broadband providers in the United Kingdom such as Karoo, Orange, Onetel and Tiscali.
What now is called the Speedtouch 330 by Thomson used to be the Speedtouch USB while Alcatel still manufactured Speedtouch products. The Speedtouch USB and 330 are in fact the same product, and only differ in appearance: software for one will work on the other.
The standard shipment consists of two Speedtouch UK413 ADSL broadband filters, one 6P2C modular telephone cable, and the modem itself.
The Speedtouch 330 exists both in ISDN and POTS versions (330(i) vs. 330).
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[edit] Common Misconceptions
Although the Speedtouch 330 is used for ADSL Broadband Internet , it does not appear on the user's computer as a LAN or High-Speed Internet Connection, but rather as a Dial-up connection. Users must therefore initiate a dial-up connection every time they want to connect in order to get onto the Internet.
The Speedtouch 330 is in fact a very basic modem , as opposed to a router modem. It can only grant connectivity to one computer at a time, and does not have any built-in features such as IP routing, a firewall, NAT , or WLAN Wireless Internet.
Being a USB modem, and not an Ethernet modem, drivers and software must be installed in order for the Speedtouch USB to work. The absence of an Ethernet interface also means that a Local Area Network, or LAN, cannot be built using this modem, even with the use of a USB capable router or a USB Hub.
[edit] Compatibility Issues
They are notorious among Linux users, since no mainstream Linux distribution will allow the modem to be used without a dialup script and a non free firmware. There are, however, a number of articles and details available on how to get the modem to work though it is still widely regarded as a tough job for a new Linux user.
The Speedtouch 330 also does not currently work with the latest generation of Macintosh computers running an Intel processor, as appropriate drivers have not yet been developed.
Drivers are also not yet available for Microsoft Windows 's new Vista operating system. Users of Windows Vista are still able however, under certain circumstances, to get the Speedtouch 330 to work on their computer.
It must also be noted that the Speedtouch 330 will not work with Windows 98 and below. Although it will work on Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows ME, users sometimes have trouble installing the modem. This is because the USB interface was introduced under Windows 98, and does not work as well as under more advanced Operating Systems such as Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
[edit] Troubleshooting
There are three common situations in which the Speedtouch 330 will not work properly. It is easy to determine the nature of the problem by looking at the 2 lights on the front of the modem.
- Two green fixed lights: This means that the modem has synchronized with the exchange and that the user must now dial-up in order to connect fully. When downloading at high speeds the left light generally flashes.
- A fixed green USB light, and flashing green ADSL light. This means that the modem is not synchronizing with the Internet service provider, and is therefore unable to establish a connection. In this case, the user must check several things: (a) contact his or her Internet service provider and verify that his account is active, (b) contact his or her telephone company to verify that the telephone line is active, working properly, and that it can support broadband Internet, or (c) make sure that working ADSL broadband filters are correctly fitted on every used telephone jack in the user's home. This issue can also arise if the modem has suffered a power surge from a thunderstorm or a short circuit. In this case, the modem must be replaced.
- A red USB light, and no ADSL light. This usually means that the modem's software and drivers are not correctly, or at all installed on the computer which it is connected to. The user must install the modem using the CD originally provided with the modem, or download the correct drivers from the Internet. This situation can also arise if the USB port on the computer is not functioning properly, or if the operating system does not support the modem (see Compatibility issues above.)
