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USB VS CAT5

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SeasonalEclipse

Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Okay.. The guy fromc harter came by today and set up our new stuff.. annd he said tommorrow the guy to set it up on the computer systems themselves would be by.. I was thinking.. I can do this.. its easy as plugging a CAT5 into the computer... so I opened up the box which was almost empty since the man had installed the modem cables and such into the wall.. and what do I find.. a USB cable.. NO DRIVER DISK EITHER.. just a USB cable.. so Iw as like.. okkkayyy.. and the USB does fit the back of the modem and such.. so I plug it in.. thennn windows comes up with the whole.. YOU NEED A DRIVER FOR THIS TO RUN... Stuff.. SO..... I googled up the ONLY USB DRIVER for the modem inw hich I have.. which is a arris .. I DL the drive.. and it installed.. then at the end it says it isnt windows XP compatible.. annd that the driver fialed to install.... So.. does charter do this just so only their tech people can "set up" the stuff? and also.. COuldnt I just use cat 5.. and NOT NEED A DRIVER? lol there is a slot for CAT5 I believe.
 
yeah, you wont find that driver. just use cat5. they do usb for the computers that dont have a nic, and if they happen to have one laying around still they might.
personally i hate usb, and most things that use it.
 
Apparently they do... Since the modem came in a white box.. just the modem and its cable cables and phone cables and power.. anndd the USB cable.. I cant believe they wouldnt include a driver to let me self install it..since I am currently brokek and cannot afford a Cat 5 cable.. eh.. I shall whine to the person who comes to set it up tommorrow.
 
go with Cat5 if you can. USB is full of problems and just stupid. Surely you can get a cat5 from a friend? hell if you were near me i'd give you a couple.
 
hafa said:
The USB connection is there soley for configuration purposes. It is not intended as a data port. Use Cat5.

Mine is used like ethernet. Infact it makes a virtual ethernet connection.
 
I have a USB wireless mouse, but it works horribly with USB, so I use the normal mouse/keyboard interface.

Also, USB isn't as fast a Cat5. I guess USB is one of those things that though yeah it can be useful and do a lot of stuff, having a dedicated port/type is more efficient.

For me USB, is what I use if there is no other economical way to do it. :)
 
Hm.. I just wonder how I can get this to work WITH USB.. I guess the charter people h ave the only good drive.. as I stated the modem companies website only have one USB drive for everything so it seemed.. I DLed it and had windows use the driver.. but then it said there coul dbe a compatiblity issue with XP.. and could make it unstable.. so I was like.. kayyyy and went ahead with the installtion.. which in the end failed... but yeah.. next month I plan to get some CAT 5/6 and a router anyways. Just broke this week and next. And with using CAT5.. all you have to do it just plug it in right? No need for drivers?
 
I have had to use USB w/ my modem from Chater before. I had to download a driver from the modem manufacturers website, or actually, I think chater may have emailed it to me. Not sure. :)
 
Cheator said:
Mine is used like ethernet. Infact it makes a virtual ethernet connection.

While it can be used it's not recommended. You'll have the neither the speed nor level of security that can be achieved with Cat5, plus you'll be unable to use a hardware firewall (highly recommended) and will not be able to use the connection for multiple computers.
 
hafa said:
While it can be used it's not recommended. You'll have the neither the speed nor level of security that can be achieved with Cat5, plus you'll be unable to use a hardware firewall (highly recommended) and will not be able to use the connection for multiple computers.

Oh no I agree. I am just saying, it is designed for a connection. Many modems here re ONLY usb. I am lucky not to have it. But i imagine its a moeny saving technique. My modem (Speedstream 5200) has both, I obviously use ethernet.
 
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