As the title implies, I'm looking for a DSL Modem to replace the TP-Link TD-8616/TD-8816 RJ-11 Modem, which is basically the go-to modem in all of Venezuela (specifically for CANTV (basically the default ISP here) ADSL), I'm aware that there has been threads where the consensus is that there's no fully FOSS Modem of any kind due to the fact that the ADSL and the like requires firmware for modem function.
Said threads also reccomend the Lantic family of SoCs, being the star device (to call it something) the Netgear DM-200, however, as a quick google search will show, the 8816 uses a RJ-11 connection, making me wonder if those Lantic devices actually use a RJ-11 connector...
In any case, excluding the Modem-to-Router bridge option, what's, on your opinion, the best Open Source Modem to replace the aforementioned TD-8616 Modem? I really wish to have a mostly if not complete network of devices with open or mostly open software...
Why do you need to replace it in the first place? There's very little to gain unless your current modem is dead/faulty. Looking at the kitz forum (which seems to be the most active english speaking forum regarding dsl equipment) the general consensus seems to be that Broadcom works (performs) best. What you should also keep in mind that if your ISP runs PPPoE you'll most likely need login credentials which your ISP may not provide.
The credentials are easily available so there's that, and I'm not surprised Broadcom is highly regarded but its also very locked down.. I want to replace it for a more open source friendly modem because after all, what's the point of having all that security on the router if the modem is a open house?, if stores sold DSL PCI-E cards a X86 or ARM board with the slots and openwrt would kill it..
Sadly DSL remains a very "exotic" kind of equipment... If this topic doesn't throw any solution then I suppose that trying on that kits forum you mention may bring better results, right ?
All (recent) solutions have firmware blobs so there isn't much of a point unless it's "just because". Exactly what is "open house" if you have a modem in bridge mode and if you're that paranoid what about your ISP and so on? There might be some kind of provisioning going on but that's usually optional. Turris did look at making a modem a few years back but they scrapped the project due low performance.
Yeah, I saw that they did.. Sad thing it didn't materialize on a FOSS modem, in any case I believe that the BT home hub 5 Type A (which is available and at a good price on eBay) is the modem I'm looking for, from the photos on its openwrt page it looks like it has a RJ11 for ADSL, which is what I need, thanks for your attention.
Just to clarify, VDSL is still a plain old 2-wire phone line. The plugs on either side don't matter, while many modems use rj-45, others do use rj-11, still only two of those pins are actually used - and simple adapter cables with rj-11 on one side and rj-45 on the other one will to the job (replacing the original cable for a buck or two).
Now, that's very good to know, so RJ45 and RJ11 modems can work, perfect.
Off topic related to the thread.
The only other doubt I had is how to buy RJ11 cables for me to make them, just as we make normal "RJ45 Ethernet" cables, I mean, for normal RJ45 I simply browse cat5 or something alike, for telephone cables I don't know how it is categorized, are there categories for those or it's simply better to just use a RJ45 to RJ11 adapter and avoid the hassle?.
Not endorsing that particular offer, which is imho overpriced (I can find similar cables for 0.50-3.80 USD locally), but 6p4c plug to 8p4c plug might be an alternative search term.
I'm fine with my bthub5, right now it's not using DSA yet - but patches for DSA are available and supposed to be merged into master soon.
Bridge it, the main objective is having the most Open source friendly modem which specs allow it to be supported for the foreseeable future, with the link @mpa posted we can see lantic is a healthy family with support for both DSA and 5.4+ kernel versions, so that leaves us with a very bright future.
The other objective is use it along another hh5a with another WAN and OpenMTCProuter on another device to see how it works, and of course I understand that such a special Modem isn't needed for the task, an OpenWRT Modem is pretty much a desire more than a requirement for this setup.
My main concern with my current Modem is that it haven't been updated in a very long time..
If all it's doing is acting as a modem, and it runs at the required line speed, then there's really no need to update it. You won't get any benefit from replacing it with a different modem.
Why? OpenWRT doesn't really add any value to a device that is acting purely as a modem and is bridging all the traffic to a different device.
Obviously it's your money to spend, but it sounds like you're just spending for no reason.
And you are right, however, as I said on my first post, the aforementioned TP-8816 modem is the go-to solution, alongside it a lot of modem+routers unsupported by openwrt, which prices equate or even exceed the price of a BTHH5 or similar device without the added benefit of OpenWRT; people (locallly) come to me asking what device should they use for a variety of use cases (which aren't supported by conventional SOHO Owes) and they also prefer "all in one" devices, so now I can recommend one that satisfies both requirements.
Something that I see is that there's no interest in making devices like the Home Hub and that the device is EoLed by BT, I suppose that with time the quantity of them will shrink without a successor to replace it, leaving people interested in such devices with only proprietary solutions....