Replacing PN Modem. Do they have a shelf life?

[#1]

About 8-10 years ago we went FTTC and PN came out and installed a modem (I think) and a router. Three years ago I replaced the PN router with a Netgear Orbi mesh system and a couple of satellites and it has worked really well. I'm not an expert but because recently I have to keep restarting the router and the modem regularly for signal loss, I'm wondering if the PN modem needs replacing. I can't find an IP address for this although the Orbi in its connected devices settings does not show the modem.

If that is the case is there any setting up to do with a new modem? When I installed the Orbi I entered the fibre Username and Password but does the modem also require any special setting up or is it plug and play?

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Fibre to My Router

[#3]

@Kryten 

All electronics fails eventually but don’t assume that this is the cause of your problem. It can be decades. 
There aren’t that many manufacturers of modems these days as most of the world has moved on to FTTP, leaving the UK in the last century as far as the Internet is concerned.

If you want to try a different modem to see if that’s the cause of your issues then get a Huawei Model 3B HG612 from an auction site. These are plug and play, directly compatible and better than the ECI version that you have. Unless you want to look at your line stats you do not need an unlocked one.

As a modem communicating with the router over the WAN port it does not have a local network IP address

[#4]

Thanks Balders, I shall source one of those. "Unless you want to look at your line stats you do not need an unlocked one." Sorry not clear on that? Can you expand?

And to be honest, I wouldn't know where to start to look for where the fault may lie.

[#5]

@Kryten 

This capability allows the geeks amongst us extract and log data showing how the broadband connection between the modem and Openreach infrastructure is performing. You will find a lot more data on the Kitz website. See https://kitz.co.uk/routers/hg612hacking.htm

Unlocking requires the modem firmware to be overwritten with a custom  version plus an extra Ethernet cable connected between  the router and the normally blanked off modem LAN 2 socket to extract the data.

As I said, this data is useful to the geeks amongst us but is a total mystery to others.

[#6]

Thank you. Don't think I'll be going there. But as you say, the UK being in the backwater of internet connections, fibre modems don't seem to be that plentiful. What happens when more people with only FTTC need a new modem? Will they become unattainable?

[#7]

@Kryten 

Most "routers" are in fact combined modems/routers nowadays.

Brian

[#8]

@Kryten 

There are a few modems around, for example https://www.amazon.co.uk/DrayTek-Vigor-ADSL-Ethernet-Modem/dp/B00F9E5LQA/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keyword...

Other options are that there are still plenty of combined modem/routers around. The replacement for your original set up, the Plusnet Hub One is an example. Some (but not the Plusnet  one) can be used in modem only mode. TP-Link combined units are often recommended for mating with mesh routers. There are also mesh units that are wireless access points so use the standard combined modem/routers. Examples are the BT whole home WiFi mesh units.

[#9]

Thanks gentlemen. I was just wondering if the modem can be dispensed with and plug the cable straight into the Netgear Orbi. But according to the description on Amazon, separate modem is required. It cost £300 and the satellite coverage is brilliant so am bit reluctant to chuck it out and buy a combined router and modem.

[#10]

@Kryten 

That's fine. It does need a separate modem or, as I said, a combined modem/router that can be configured as a bridge modem, which allows you to use just the modem section in isolation. Not all can.

[#11]

Indeed, thanks Balders. And to all who responded.

[#12]

As an update to your recommendation Balders, I have ordered the modem you linked. Found a new one on eBay. This morning as usual, no internet. I restarted the Orbi router and that showed no connection after, so I restarted the modem and that fixed it. Does that absolutely point to the modem or could the fault still be elsewhere?

I don't know the first thing on how to check anything else or where to go, so any advice on that would be much appreciated. Do I contact PS and get them to check the line?

Thanks to all.

[#13]

@Kryten 

Have you checked that your credentials are correctly entered in the Orbi and have you tried factory resetting it and setting it up again from scratch? https://www.plus.net/help/broadband/broadband-connection-settings/

[#14]

Well, I haven't done a factory reset. It's worked well for about 2 or 3 years. It was set up successfully as mentioned in your link. It just to drops out occasionally, often in the morning first thing. Openreach recently moved the outside fixing point from our neighbours house to above my garage ( seen here), so whether this has anything to do with it, I don't know. My gut feeling is it's not the Orbi. The Netgear Orbi app is pretty extensive with its features giving lots of information of what happening on the network. The Orbi IP interface showed it was working okay but no internet was incoming to it. Once the modem was restarted this morning, that fixed it. I'll have the new modem you recommended early next week, so I'll connect that and see how we go.

(I'm aware btw that the plate shown here is not affixed properly to the wall).