I'm liking the idea of a router the more I think about it now... and certainly the ones on Roseway's link look reasonably priced (remembering I tend to go for the cheap & cheerful)
They are cheap and cheerful, not sure what the deal with them is, I think it's just end of line stuff that they get in to sell off as quick as poss? I dunno... those speedtouches have been up there for months now, so if there were problems with them they probably wouldn't be there now!
... anyway, here's the contents of my Dr ST log... I would really appreciate a little explanation of the 'important bits'.
Will do my best to point out bits (in blue) to you
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Dr SpeedTouch Version
Application: 1.1.0.7
Plugin: 2.2.0.4
Tested Device
000E508F80D5
Test Error
23 (2.5.1.5.1)
Data Overview
HostDevice
OSInfo
OSName= Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OSVersion= 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OSManufacturer= Microsoft Corporation
Locale= United Kingdom
SystemInfo
CurrentTime= 16:02:43.843
CurrentDate= 18.10.2007
SystemModel= Product Name
SystemType= X86-based PC
Processor= x86 Family 6 Model 10 Stepping 0 AuthenticAMD ~1998 Mhz
BIOSVersion= 07/08/03
USBDevice
SerialToIndex
000E508F80D5= 0
0
DiscoverService
0
SerialNumber= 000E508F80D5
Name= ST330
USBInfoService
HCIName= VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USBTopologyService
0
SerialNumber= 000E508F80D5
ProductID= 16481
VendorID= 1721
Status= DeviceConnected
DeviceReleaseNumber= 1024
1
SerialNumber= <unknown/>
ProductID= 49213
VendorID= 1133
Status= DeviceConnected
DeviceReleaseNumber= 8192
1
DiscoverService
USBInfoService
HCIName= VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USBTopologyService
2
DiscoverService
USBInfoService
HCIName= VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
USBTopologyService
3
DiscoverService
USBInfoService
HCIName= VIA USB Enhanced Host Controller
USBTopologyService
LANDevice
SerialToIndex
0
DiscoverService
LANEthernetLinkConfig
PhysicalLinkStatus= Disconnected
TotalBytesSent= 4665312
TotalBytesReceived= 96539133
Layer3Forwarding
InternetConfig
ProxyEnabled= FALSE
HTTPProxy=
SecureProxy=
FTPProxy=
GopherProxy=
SocksProxy=
HTTPPort= 0
SecurePort= 0
FTPPort= 0
GopherPort= 0
SocksPort= 0
Layer3InterfaceDevice
SerialToIndex
0
InterfaceName= WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
DHCPEnabled= FALSE
IPAddress
0
IPAddress= 79.66.253.98
*this is the public IP address you've been given by your ISPSubnetMask= 255.255.255.255
DefaultGateway
0
DefaultGateway= 79.66.253.98
* gateway (next IP hop along the path where all your traffic goes, known as the ISP's aggregator, Plusnet use Juniper Networks racks, not sure what your ISP uses) DNSServer
0
DNSServer= 212.139.132.4
*DNS Server... for looking up names e.g. www.kitz.co.uk to IP addresses e.g. 195.62.28.175 1
DNSServer= 212.139.132.5
*secondary DNS server.. for when the first one fails ST330
000E508F80D5
WANDevice
WANConnectionDevice
0
WANPPPConnection
0
TransportService= WANDevice.WANConnectionDevice.0.WANPPPTransport.0
DownstreamMaxBitRate= 6144000
*Presumably your sync speed... bit misleading as often routers report the current sync speed as well as the maximum attainable sync speed, but looks like the Speedtouch only reports the current sync speedConnectionType= IP_Routed
ExternalDefaultGateway= 79.66.253.98
*explained aboveExternalIPAddress= 79.66.253.98
ExternalIPMask= 255.255.255.255
NATEnabled= 0
Name= SpeedTouch USB ADSL PPP
RSIPAvailable= 0
PPPAuthenticationProtocol= PAP
*This should generally be CHAP, not PAP, for ADSL, but I don't think you can change that in the Speedtouch. Routers generally have this optionPPPMRU= 1500
*Alter your MTU for tweaking to get the max speed out of your connection. Again, I'm not sure if you can alter it in your modem. Read about it here - clickyPPPMTU= 1492
UpstreamMaxBitRate= 448000
*Your upstream sync speed, again I think this is reporting actual, not maximum theoretical, as that would probably be 832000ConnectionStatus= Connected
LastConnectionError= ERROR NONE
*yay!Uptime= 32783
*In seconds, presumably?TotalPPPBytesReceived= 95918173
*Bytes received and sent in this sessionTotalPPPBytesSent= 4998176
TotalPPPSDUReceived= 78510
*don't know what an SDU is, sorry TotalPPPSDUSent= 76590
ExternalDNSServer
0
ExternalDNSServer= 212.139.132.4
1
ExternalDNSServer= 212.139.132.5
WANIPConnection
WANPPPTransport
WANDSLLinkConfig
ATMEncapsulation= VCMUX
*Encapsulation VCMUX and PVC 0/38 are the required settings for BT-wholesale ADSL in the UK. Other ADSL providers and some LLU operators use different settings. All to do with the ATM network settings and far too complex for me ATMOAMStatus= 0
ATMQoSCategory= UBR
AutoConfig= 0
DestinationAddress= PVC:0/38
LinkStatus= Up
LinkType= PPPoA
*PPP over ATM - again just what you need to know for UK BT-based ADSLModemMode= POTS: GDMT.A
TotalAAL5AbortedFrames= 0
TotalAAL5FramesReceived= 78510
TotalAAL5FramesSent= 76590
TotalAAL5FramesTooLong= 0
TotalAAL5ReassemblyTimeout= 0
TotalATMCellsDiscarded= 0
TotalATMCellsReceived= 2061305
TotalATMCellsSent= 183619
TotalATMLBReceived= 0
TotalATMLBSent= 0
TotalATMOAMCCReceived= 0
TotalATMOAMCCSent= 0
WANCommonInterfaceConfig
DSLUptime= 32811
ErrorredSeconds= 1
*These errors don't really tell us much about the state of your connection. A router would provide more details as regards to individual numbers of errors on the line - but given you've only had one errored second, you're doing ok!LossOfFraming= 1
LossOfLink= 0
LossOfSignal= 1
PhysicalLinkStatus= Up
ReceiveAttenuation_dB= 25
*Otherwise known as downstream attenuation, the loss on your line as expressed in dB. Pretty directly related to line length. The higher the value the slower max speed you'll get. Yours seems pretty goodReceiveMargin_dB= 19
*Otherwise known as the downstream SNR Margin. Amount of decent electrical signal compared to amount of noise on the line. Generally the higher the better, but sometimes BT's systems can push it too high, which means you don't sync as fast as you perhaps could doRxOutputPower_dBm= 0
SendAttenuation_dB= 15
*Same as above, but for upstream, generally a lot less critical as I don't often hear of people having problems with upstream ADSL. Again, looks pretty healthySendMargin_dB= 16
TotalBytesReceived= 109249165
TotalBytesSent= 9731807
TotalPacketsReceived= 76590
TotalPacketsSent= 76590
TxOutputPower_dBm= 0
Uptime= 32811
ChannelMode= Interleaved
*Interleaved or Fast Path. Interleaved is the default applied to connections since shortly after ADSL Max became widespread. Interleaving swaps the packets around in such a way that on a noisy line that is susceptible to bursts of interference, the efficiency of data transfer is less impaired than if Interleaving is off. Explanation here - clicky!Layer1DownstreamMaxBitRate= 6144000
Layer1UpstreamMaxBitRate= 448000
WANAccessType= DSL
Layer3Forwarding
DefaultConnectionService= WANDevice.WANConnectionDevice.0.WANPPPConnection.0
ForwardingTable
DeviceInfo
ASICVersion= Sachu 3
BoardName= ADNU-F
BootloaderFlags= _N/A_
CustomizationPattern= _N/A_
FlashInfo= _N/A_
IGDModelVersion= 1.1
ProductName= SpeedTouch 330
ProductRelease= 0x0400
SerialNumber= CP0513BTYQV
SoftwareRelease= 301.0.0.12
VendorName= THOMSON
-----
Whew, hope that's helped somewhat! Didn't realise the log had so much repeated information in it!!