Cable Modem with AT&T U-Verse?

I have U-Verse but whenever anyone is torrenting or even transferring files across the network the internet becomes almost unusable. We've tried limiting bandwidth or connections within the torrent client but either the speeds die in the torrent client, or everywhere else. It seems the router just can't handle the connections.

The problem with U-Verse is that the modem and router are a combo. Can I just use any cable modem as a replacement? We have a new router on the way with wireless N and better coverage, but it'd still have to hook up through the current modem/router and we'd still have the connection bottleneck for things outside our home network.


tl;dr - Can I use a cable modem to replace the u-verse modem?

i think that uverse is dsl or fiber depending on were u are, what i would do is use their modem then use your router behind it and make it on a different network address IE if your modem is 192.168.0.1 make the new one 192.168.1.1. and if u call ATT i think that they have a stand alone modem that u can trade for

I had asked a similar question of the techs I have seen supporting my uverse install. Basically I was told that if you're using their other services (eg. phone and TV) then no, it is not possible to do. The TV situation I think you could work around by using a network lead rather than the coax lead that I am, but I don't have a good answer for the phone.

Another option for you might be to simply call and see if you can get a better grade of uverse box - they have a few models and not all are worth having.

Ah, forgot to mention I'm internet only. No phone or TV. They told me they don't have any stand alone modems sadly. The current modem/router is connected through a coax cable.

Is there a way to bypass the built in router? I'll also have to see if they have better models.

do u know what kind of connection it makes, if its a DOCSIS u can use a cable modem and they can just change the mac address for your account but i dont think that they use that

but just hooking a good router in line should fix things since they use a POS one with a slow routing chip that can barely do basic dsl speeds

I'm not really sure of the connection type. The router mentions DHCP if that is a valid type.

We have a Belkin N+ on the way. You don't think it'll be bottle necked by the onboard router?

dhcp is not a connection type its a network addressing type,

as for in lining it, your outbound connection isnt vary fast its going to be something like 6mbs/768kb were doing internal stuff u will have 300mb/s or 1Gb, so with the att router doing nothing but the one port to the internet it shouldent have a problem

If you're Internet only then I don't see why you couldn't replace it if you so desired. It looks like uverse uses VDSL, so any VDSL modem should work. I honestly can't think of any specific VDSL modems, but I'm sure some searching on Froogle will turn some up.

With that said, depending on what the issue is you *may* bypass it by enabling the feature that most uverse devices call "DMZ Plus" or something like that.... basically it gives your local equipment the public IP address and should at like just a modem. In my testing I have found it does still do a bit of meddling beyond just medium/protocol changes, but I don't think it necessarily keeps a full connection table (what is probably ruining you right now).

Thanks for the help so far guys, I'm really appreciating it.

It turns out that 3rd party modems are impossible as U-Verse authentication is certificate based and there would be no certificate for a 3rd party modem. Lame.

I'll try using DMZ+ when I get the new router. If torrenting still kills the connection I might just have to switch to Comcast. They don't offer anything near the 18mbps I'm getting but at least I could do something as simple as torrent while my roommate plays WoW.

I have comcast 16mb 30$us a month BOOO YAAAA::up:

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Originally Posted by Hell Hound

I have comcast 16mb 30$us a month BOOO YAAAA::up:

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Well, to be fair you have an 8mbps connection that uses Comcast's PowerBoost® for the first two minutes of a download pushing it up to 16mbps or higher sometimes. And it's probably the $35 package you can get if you have the cable too. It's a good deal nonetheless. I'm paying $65 per month for 18mbps. I might have to switch back to Comcast.

it could be ATT is rate limiting him when his network hits Torrent protcals on the port.

You can try to change the standard port torrent uses to another port, and see if that fixes it?

ATT are bastages like that.