Home Network Information Page
Table of Contents
- Gateway Information
- Modem Information
- Router Information
- Conserving Your Bandwidth
- Fiber Internet Connection Information
Since this is a job where you will be remotely accessing complex networks, systems and applications remotely from your home, not all Home Network setups will work for what we need. In some cases, you may be required to alter, change or replace parts of your Home Network in order to make it compatible with our systems. Our IT department will make the best effort possible to make recommendations that will help you work in a stable environment, but in the end, your Home Network and the maintenance of your Home Network is your responsibility. Any changes we suggest are based on the best information we have at the time (remember, technology changes fast and often) and do not represent any guarantees that what we suggest will completely resolve your issues.
Based on the information we have and the experiences we've seen with agents working in production, here are some suggestions and guidelines that will help you in regards to setting up a stable Home Network.
Gateways (Modem/Router Combo's
When we use the term "Gateway", we are referring to a modem that you receive from your ISP that also functions like a router. Typically, DSL providers give out Gateways to their users, but we are also starting to see more and more Cable ISP's use Gateways too (Fiber is very different and is explained at the bottom of this page). Below are a few examples of Gateway modems:
- Westell 6100 or 9100 (DSL and Fiber)
- Motorola 2210 or 3347
- 2wire
- Speedstream 4100/4200
- Ubee U10C022
If you were just a typical home user, surfing the internet, watching videos, checking email and using Facebook, a Gateway would be sufficent to meet all of your computing needs. When you work from home, however, you are asking your Home Network to connect in a way that is very different and much more complex. What we have found is that Gateways tend to cause more harm than good for a work-from-home agent.
Short Version: If your modem is a Gateway, it is in your best interest to have it bridged out. We do not handle this step, we require that you work with your ISP to bridge out your Gateway. If your ISP is unwilling to assist, try using Google (i.e. search for "Modem Model, bridge out instructions") to see if the steps have been documented somewhere on the internet. Once your Gateway is bridged out, you will need to add a 4-Port Router between the bridged out Gateway and your PC(s).
Warning: Do not add a 4-Port Router to a Gateway that is not bridged out. This will cause "Double NAT'ing" and can create new connection issues for you (random disconnects and apps not loading are typical symptoms of Double NAT).
Here is a list of Gateways that we know do not work well for Teletech® @Home Agents:
| Manufacturer | Model | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2wire | Any | We have stopped supporting 2wire Gateways because of known issues related to the way they handle NAT'ing. We recommend replacing the 2wire, but if that isn't possible, at least replace it and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Actiontec | Any Gateway | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Ambit | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Arris | Any Gateway | Most Arris modems are just plain modems, not Gateways. There are a few models that are a Gateway: WTM522G, WTM652, etc. If your Arris is a Gateway, we recommend that you bridge it out and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Cisco | Any | Cisco has both modems and gateways and it isn't easy to differentiate between the two. The best way to determin what kind of modem you have is to contact your ISP and ask them if your modem is a Gateway. If it is a Gateway, we recommend that you bridge it out and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Gigaset | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Motorola | Any | Motorola is like Arris in that there is a wide mix of regular modems and gateways. The 2210 and 3347 are definitely gateways and should be bridged out and a 4-Port Router added. Same goes for the SBG6580 & SBG900 (we believe, but cannot confirm, that any of the Motorola modems that begin with "SBG" are gateways and should be bridged out and a 4-Port Router added. |
| Netgear | Any Gateway | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Siemens | Any | Needs to be Bridged Out and add a 4-Port Router (the router is added between the bridged-out Gateway and your PC). Note: There are 1-2 Siemens Gateways that cannot be bridged out even though they are Gateways - in this case, request that your ISP replace your modem with something that can be bridged out. |
| SMC Networks | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Speedstream | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Ubee | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Westell | Any | Bridge Out the Gateway and add a 4-Port Router. |
| Zoom | Any | We recommend replacing this modem with a different brand |
| Zyxel | Any | We recommend replacing this modem with a different brand |
Modems
As a general rule, assuming that the modem is functioning correctly, our agents do not experience issues with almost all of the modems on the market. That's because a standard modem (like the Motorola SB51XX Surfboard) is just there to provide a connection and they offer little to no routing (NAT'ing) functionality.
We do require, however, that you add a 4-Port Router in between the modem and your PC(s). In some cases, you will be able to connect and work without a router, but you will ultimately end up having connection issues because our network and system require NAT'ing and modems just cannot handle that well on their own. It's best to let the correct tool handle the job - and that is what a router is there to do.
Routers
Not all routers are created equally.
We recommend that all agents use a 4-Port Router, but this recommendation comes with a few conditions:
- Belkin Routers - Do not use Belkin. We've dug into them and we don't know why they cause issues or what is needed to fix the issues. Your best bet is to just not use a Belkin router if you want to work for Teletech @Home.
- Linksys Routers - As a whole, Linksyss routers work well. There are a few models to avoid however:
- BEFSR41 - We see too many connection issues with this model, we recommend that you avoid it.
- WRT54G - The WRT54G used to be the mainstay for Linksys, but they are reaching the end of their prime. We've been seeing quite a few lately that stopped working correctly and needed to be replaced. If you have a WRT54G and are working fine, then you should be OK. If you start to see weird, unexplainable connection issues that occur randomly and out of nowhere - we recommend that you consider upgrading your WRT54G
- Dynex - We've seen mixed results with Dynex routers. If you have a Dynex and don't have any connection issues - you should be ok to leave the Dynex alone. If you are having connection issues, consider replacing the Dynex - with the issues we've seen, there is no way for us to tell if your connection issues is related to the Dynex or not.
- Generic Routers - Avoid them. They may work, but we will be unable to provide any support for them. We limit our documentation and training to the known brands on the market (i.e. Netgear, D-Link, Linksys, etc).
- Business/Commercial Grade Routers or Switches - This is your call, but keep in mind we can provide no support for these if you experience connection issues.
The ideal Home Network would look something like the below image. Assuming the Modem is either a plain modem or a bridged-out Gateway.
Conserving Your Bandwidth
Another important aspect to having a stable connection is the usage of components that are connected to your Home Network.
With video streaming, gaming consoles and all kinds of wireless devices on the market, it is important that you ensure that your bandwidth doesn't get overwhelmed when you are trying to work. If, while working, you discover that your system and applications are running slower than normal, or not loading well, please check the following:
- Game Consoles - online gaming and video streaming via console can use a lot of bandwidth. If you are experiencing connection issues while a game console is in use - try turning off the console. If your issue went away, that means that the game console shouldn't be in use while you are working.
- Video Streaming - YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, etc are all great services, but streaming video and audio takes up a lot of bandwidth. We recommend that video streaming isn't attempted (via PC, Console or otherwise) while you try and work from home.
- Other PC's - Other PC's on the network (in use, or unattended) have the potential to use up bandwidth and cause you issues while you try to work from home. If you suspect connection issues, turn all other PC's off and see if the issues go away (even if the PC isn't in use by anyone). If the issues go away, then something on the PC, or something that was being done on the PC is using up bandwidth. Background applications can use bandwidth too - so, even if no one is on the PC, that doesn't mean it can't be causing issues.
- Unsecured Wireless Router - If you are broadcasting an unsecure wireless signal from your router and modem, not only is your Home Network not secure, but you are open to unknown people using up your bandwidth. We recently saw one case where an agent's router was unsecure and it showed 14 different unknown connections using their wireless signal. If you are unsure about how to secure your wireless signal, consult either your ISP or the manufacturer of your router.
Fiber Internet Connections
You should have no problem using fiber internet while working from home, but you should be aware of some of the differences involved in a fiber setup:
- No Modem - This is normal. Some Fiber ISP's use what is called an ONT instead of a modem. Typically this is on the outside of your house, in your garage or in a closet. Do not unplug this device unless your ISP instructs you to.
- Westell 9100 - Some fiber connections use a modem similar to what DSL and Cable provides. In the case of the Westell 9100, we've had several agents that had connection issues while using the Westell 9100. Once they had their modem bridged out and they added a 4-Port Router, their connection issues went away.
- Bridged Connection from ISP - In a few cases (mostly rural companies providing fiber) we've seen where the connection sent from the ISP isn't bridged and caused issues. You should be able to call your ISP and request that you receive a bridged connection instead - and then add a 4-Port router.