Customer Reviews

Qwest Actiontec PK5000 DSL Modem 4 Port Wireless Router

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

I installed the PK5000 to replace an older Qwest modem. Installation was ok, speed was ok, and very few problems for 10 months. Then it started dropping wireless connections, requiring a power cycle to recover.

Then it stopped allowing access to all but 1 of my wireless computers, even after power cycling. And the 1 it did allow was losing connections up to 6 times a day. Then it started losing the DSL connection about every 2 or 3 months, which can only be corrected by power cycling it numerous times, until it re-engages. I spent several hours on the phone and email with support, but it didn't resolve within 2 calls, so I stopped messing with them.

I disabled the wireless feature, and connected a Linksys wireless access point I still had from the system it replaced. The PK5000 still drops the DSL link every few months, but I'll tolerate that until I feel like I've gotten my $100 out of it. The designers of this one need to go back to school.

I bought this from Qwest and wasted at least an hour trying to get it set up to stream to my Xbox 360. It turns out that this device doesn't support multicast, which what the Xbox needs for media streaming, so it's worthless to me. (Do a search for "PK5000 Xbox multicast" to see what I mean.) I've read that other technologies, such as Apple's Bonjour, use multicast as well, so if you intend to use this device for network streaming, look elsewhere. Now I've got to return this to Qwest and find a better modem.

The first time I bought this wireless modem it was defective. Once set up it worked for a day, then could not access the wi-fi without power cycling the router several times a day. By the next day it was even worse.

Returned it and got another one. Same thing. You have to power cycle it regularly to have any hope of using wi-fi, and even then there's no guarantee it will work. This is true for both our Macs and PC. I had to plug into this wireless router to write this review. It will get returned again.

Don't waste your time or money. Get something that works.


Note: This is the wireless router recommended by Qwest when you sign up for new service with them.

I got this Qwest packaged modem because a cheaper modem was hard to install and hard to configure. Originally, I purchased the ActionTec GT701D because the comments said that it wasn't that difficult to configure for Qwest DSL. Well, after spending 1 hour with a Qwest technical support person who also had to supply info that was not sent to me from Qwest, I was connected to the Internet with a speed of 4.1 Mbps (7 Mbps max). The GT701 worked fine, but in the process of debugging why my connection speed was so slow, I decided to buy this version of the ActionTec PK5000. With no call to Qwest, and only 10 minutes of setup time (time it took for the CD to auto detect and take me through menu options), I was fully connected to the Internet. In addition, with the exact same phone outlet and house configuration (same time of day, phones unplugged, etc), my connection speed jumped to 5.3 Mbps. I didn't think that a modem would make such a big difference in speed, but apparently something in this Qwest package made for a better connection (cables, modem, etc. ?). I only gave it 4 stars because the modem has only been in operation for two days and may present problems in the future.

As another reviewer here, I was told by Qwest to upgrade my Cisco 678 to this router. After struggling with it for almost a week, I turned off the wireless function and connected my 5 year old Netgear wireless router to the PK5000. My wireless problems disappeared, but I am still not getting all of the bandwidth that I am paying for (3.5 out of 7 mb) -- but perhaps that is another problem. In any event, I would have to look a lot further than the PK5000 for an all-in-one solution for a DSL modem and wireless router.

Despite reports to the contrary, the PK5000 does support port forwarding and uPNP.

In fact, the stock firmware has nearly as much functionality as DD-WRT. But it lacks support for multicast, so no Bonjour, iTunes streaming, mDNS, etc over wireless. It would get 3 or 4 stars otherwise, but no multicast is a remarkable oversight.

So this is what Qwest sent to me both times (different locations; had included cable between those two). THANKFULLY I didn't pay (either time) or I'd be TICKED OFF.

First, the speed. It isn't just that I came from other service providers, so let me kick that possible assumption out. We're talking identical setup--location, gadgets, router (my own N router that has kicked butt for a few years now), everything identical--with one tiny change, that being from Qwest's crapodem to the one that I used back on the east coast, a Netopia that was a slight pain to configure to Seattle but so worth the pain... seeing the difference, it makes total sense why a computer HARD WIRED INTO THE MODEM felt like it was using a long-ago-removed fax modem whenever something "taxing" like, you know, a minute long clip or a flickr album (so intense, it's almost a triple rainbow*, I know...)

Then we have the wireless. Two things awful about this: SO EFFIN EASY TO HACK INTO for one--see, when a company mass-deals the same modem to everyone, believe me, it's NOT hard to get into the IPs once you have fiddled around with it and figured out the basics (if I can figure it out, someone who actually LIKES hacking sure can, and that compromises EVERYONE's security. I actually tried it out with my neighbor's *with her permission* and yes, I was able, and I am NOT an IT nerd by any long shot). If you use your computer to access stuff like bank accounts, orders for wee little Amazon where info's stored, or even email you ever keep open longer than the session you're using it for (otherwise, you can be used as one of those mass emails for spam sites and viruses simply by leaving your email accessible through "password protected" "encrypted my arse" connections with this insult to the landfill's justified residents), DON'T get this, not with Qwest especially! If you're stuck with it, GET A SEPARATE ROUTER with top notch security options. The other awful thing is the actual wireless quality. Let me phrase that... this is a wireless hub? Could have fooled me. Oh, wait! There! It just flashed by!! Click it! Oh, and now it's gone again. Doesn't matter where you move it/point the antenna, it only seems to connect to what it is hard wired to or what is right under it. Me, I do not keep my phone and such under the modem OR the modem on the ceiling. It is SLIGHTLY improved if you put extenders for the rubber pads (in the form of books on each side) under it to have some reception room (air) under the thing. It's total junk, though, and what's inside is so freaking hot it is no wonder they die so often, so young (and my home isn't especially warm; it's early august and 72 inside).

Then a note regarding this modem and your privacy. Forget about it. You lost it. Yep, you CAN take away its ability to send Qwest complete data on what you access with the gadget you bought off them, but every time it is rebooted/turned off/unplugged/loses power for any reason--its shoddy performance the frequent one--it is reset. I scoured forums all around and never found a way to permanently lose this ability without, yknow, losing your connection to their oh so fabbbulous service (sarcasm? Nooo, not me.)

Save yourself the headache. Find anything else they'll use and search beforehand for complaints about their data mining "service improvement" HAHA yeah, means they get to improve their profits by selling info on everything you access to marketers so they in turn can invade your space and time more, yee haw! Nothing like "quality partnerships" and Century Link no doubt will make it an even "richer" experience (for their CEO who I almost guarantee has his own fiber+T3 because he knows not to trust this junk).

*sorry if you don't catch the reference, but not sorry enough to remove it :)

So 9 months ago my little 2 wire modem died.... I went to the local retailer and asked "what is the best dsl modem I can get for my Qwest set up?" I was directed to this "little bundle of joy". It was in my budget so I took it home. Before I opened the box, I called Qwest tech support, just to confirm that I indeed had the best product for my set up. The very nice man said yes it would be perfect. So, happy with my purchase; I set it up and that honestly went very well, fast and painless. THE END....
2 weeks later my old printer decides it wanted to be retired. So back to my local retailer for a new printer and WOW I now have wireless, oh goody I can get an awesome new all-in-one(the poor salesman at the store, didn't have a clue). I brought my new baby home, followed the instructions to set it up and pushed the little button on the modem and "BAM" nothing.... *foot tapping* ......Hmmmm push it again, nothing. After hours of research and NO help from Actiontec I find out that my little modem doesn't support multicast.....oh well, bummer. I will just deal with it.
Now after 9 months of resetting the modem every 3-4 weeks (just to get it connected back to the net) I have decided to get "netflix" and increase my download speed to 12 Mbps. WRONG. Now I have to reset my little modem every few hours. I have spent more hours researching the problem than i care to tell and I have lost all respect for "Actiontec" products and support (there is none)
So in closing, don't let your friends buy/lease one of these if they need something that will work in the future and stay tuned I may post a video of it being put out of it's misery (and mine)

Peace

I've been through 2 of these and they do not work. Don't buy one and don't let Qwest rent you one. It refuses to assign IP addresses, drops connections, requires constant power cycling and so on. Mirror issues on 2 separate computers. I'm not sure how Actiontec got away with making such a poorly performing product but I imagine it has something to do with a big contract with Qwest. Have fun on the phone with tech support.

Oh Qwest, you got me good, selling me this device. I decided to buy this device instead of leasing it, figuring I'd own it longer than the lease payments would be worth. After working on a problem for more hours than I'd like to admit, I finally find this review page mentioning a lack of multicast support. Here I'm blaming all my other devices for not connecting, and I missed this little bugger as the culprit.

Anyway, as a router, it's actually pretty good. Decent speed/connection, rarely needs to be restarted, hasn't died despite constant use for over a year. It even has a nice slew of options (though some are quite sub-par compared to my many years older router I had before this one).

Biggest problem is mentioned above, lack of streaming support. While it seems like a small feature, it utterly cripples the device for any current and future forms of technology. So instead of four stars it gets one.

Additionally, my hunt for a solution found one person claiming a firmware update was coming back in May 2010. Another person in the comments here mentioned a firmware update was coming in November 2010. Now it is practically February 2011, and no sign of any sort of update. Unfortunately I doubt it will ever come...