Connecting to The Internet via Cable, Just Got More Reliable

About a year and a half ago I made a decision to change over from my phone line internal modem to an external cable modem. I contacted my local cable provider (AT&T) and asked to get hooked up. They had a good deal at that time and I would get free installation and 3 months of service for free. After the first 3 months, it would be $45.95 per month which included the rent of a modem. I could buy the modem but then it would be mine forever with no possibly free service should there be a problem. If I bought it the monthly fee for service would only be $35.95.

They came and did the installation. The modem was a metal box 3"x9"x12" with heat reducing metal fins on the top. It must have weighed 7 pounds. My ether net card was/is external so they did not have to take the machine apart therefore the installation only took 2 1/2 hours. Ever since then I have had problems.

Enough was Enough
I connect to my place of work from home using this cable hookup. One night I was working on a problem at about 1:00 a.m. and I kept loosing my modem connection. This happened for over an hour. These were the same type of problems I had been having for over a year when connecting to the Internet and I decided to do something about it. The next day I called AT&T and described my problem. The technician said I had an older modem and they would come out and replace the one I had. The one they brought was the 3Com HomeConnect External Cablemodem. I could not believe my eyes. This thing was made of plastic and looked half the size of the other one I had. They said they had been having problems with the other brand (I'm not sure what it was now) for over a year. Nice to let me know. I haven't had a problem since they put the new one in!

Specifications
Width 2.75"
Height 7.25"
Depth 9.00"
Comes with a AC power adapter
Ethernet cable with RJ-45 connectors (6' long)
CD Software for installation and
Internet Tools
Internet-based fax software fo PC users
Fun and Productivity software
Special offers and trial programs (I have not looked at
these yet).

System Requirements
Windows 95 or higher or
Macintosh 7.5 or higher or
UNIX operating system with TCP/IP stack loaded.
Ethernet interface, usually a network interface card (NIC)
Available cable outlet and Internet access service from a cable provider (This makes sense for a cable modem)
Machine needs a CD-ROM drive, 8MB RAM, and 2MB hard drive space.

Product Capabilities
Burst data rates up to 38Mbps downstream, up to 10 Mbps upstream.
Software upgradeable for future enhancements.
Supports ITU and cable industry DOCSIS 1.1 standards for interoperability.
Digital privacy and data protection with 56-bit encryption key.
Diagnostic and status LED's.
"Always on" continuous Internet connection.
No phone line needed.

Handy Manual
The instructions that come with the modem were very clear and precise. I didn't have to do this setup but if I did I could have done it easily. Each section is written clearly and is easy to understand (except for Warranty information which never is clear and easy to understand).
In my case the Warranty does not matter. If I have a problem then the cable guy comes out and replaces the modem. For those who purchase one of these modems then the Warranty is of some interest. Basically they cover any poor workmanship and product default. You need to contact the company and send the unit back for repair. They will determine if the repair falls under Warranty or not. Their address if you have to return the modem is;
3Com
Dock 15
1800 W. Central Ave
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
The manual also contains a troubleshooting section describing several common problems and their resolution.

Front and Back of Modem
The front of the unit has several status lights.
1 - Power
2 - Link status
3 - Data transfer
4 - Malfunction

The back of the unit has;
1 - a Cable RF Connector for the cable in
2 - A RF-45 Jack for the Ethernet cable
3 - A Power Jack for power adapter.

After hookup you have to configure both your system software and the modem. Instructions are provided in the manual and using the provided CD-ROM software is easy. I did not do the configuration myself but I did watched the cable guy and it only took him minutes (compared to the 2 1/2 hours the first cable guy took).

Overall
I have been very pleased with the 3Com HomeConnect External Cablemodem. I would recommend it to anyone especially those who have an older model. There really is a difference between this model and the older ones. Download speeds for video and music are quick and trouble free. I'm really glad I did not purchase my modem originally so this one was free. If you have one of the older ones call your local cable company and see if they provide a 3Com HomeConnect External Cablemodem as a replacement for the one you have. If so, make and appointment, you will be glad you did.