USB and Ethernet

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Mar 10, 2006 Posts: 2

Is there a way to connect the phone with the ethernet and the computer with USB, on same modem and computer? We ran our computer with USB before switching to Vonage recently and it ran better on USB and faster, than when we used an Ethernet connection... that is why we switched to USB. When using the Ethernet connection we couldn't seem to stay connected on our cable modem all the time and with USB it never dropped at all. Now that we are back on Eternet to use Vonage it is doing it all over again, where we have to restart the PC sometimes to ensure our connection. KInd of hard to explain, the connection sometimes just drops. I would appreciate any help someone could offer on this situation. OH.. we purchased the VTech Phone system just for Vonage also, if that makes any difference with this question. It came with the adapter and two phones with their cradles.

By the way, in your opinion, should we have just used an adapter and our regular phones with Vonage? What do you think? The VTech phone system came with the adapter and phones but was also $150.00. Very expensive we thought. We can still return it if we'd be better off with regular phones.

It says it can only be used with Vonage and this bothers us also, but we are new to all of this. Does that mean if we ever end our Vonage service that we can't even used the phones that came with this system as a regular phone on any other phone service, regular or broadband? If so, that is alot of cash just to use Vonage and find out we may not even like it, or keep it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Posts: 55 · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:23 am Post subject:

Most modems will NOT allow both connections to operate at the same time. The documentation for the modem should say, or your ISP might be able to tell you.

It sounds like the issue with the Ethernet connection is your PC, not the modem. I see two options, upgrade the network card driver to the latest version or buy a different network card. Also, are you running Windows98 or ME? Those are notorious for issues with stablity.

Your modem should connect to the Vonage Voip router, and your PC to the Voip router's LAN ports. Look at the topic at the very top of this forum (link) about hooking the Line 1 on your Vonage router into your home wiring - this allows you to use your home phones.

Also, I use a multihandset system from Uniden - one connection to a phone line and all handset share the connection. The only "corded" phone I have in my house is my office 2 line phone.

Posts: 182 · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:51 am Post subject:

I've used USB and Ethernet simultaneously. It will work if your ISP will permit two simultaneous connections to its service. Many don't permit that unless you use a router.

If you are getting better performance out of USB than Ethernet, you probably have a poorly-performing Ethernet card in your machine. Good-quality cards are about ten dollars (or less) so the thing to do might be to get a better Ethernet card.

Posts: 109 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Jun 21, 2005 Posts: 109

ambit modems permit usb & ehternet at the same time....

but you would be safer putting your pc on ethernet behind the router to protect you more from hackers. ... the nat in the router is a really big plus to hide your pc from the internet

Posts: 1125 · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:57 pm Post subject:

Whoever thought of using that USB crap to connect to a modem should be shot. Just another way for the cable companies to do more crappy installs in less time. Do it the right way, and use the Ethernet only. Get a router so you can have a reliable connection. The cable company doesn't care about the quality of the connection per se, just that you have a connection.