Eicon Diva 2430 SE review

Low-cost ADSL modems like the Diva 2430 SE from Eicon Technology are readily available, making them - you might think - an obvious purchase for businesses and home users with ADSL lines. Unfortunately, it isn't this straightforward. There are good reasons for buying an ADSL modem, but most customers get one anyway, so currently it isn't a product for which there's an obvious market.

From the outside, the device looks very much like a conventional external dial-up modem. There are no fans to make a noise and it can be wall-mounted, with a row of LEDs at the front giving you basic status information.

Three connections are found at the rear, the most important being an RJ-11 connector, used to attach the modem to the ADSL line. You can then attach the modem to the host PC with a choice of either USB or Ethernet ports. The required cables come in the box with a 3m crossover cable for Ethernet attachment and a 1m USB cable, although only one of the two alternatives can be used at any one time.

It's also possible to share the modem on a LAN using Ethernet. However, a software or hardware router will be needed for this, as the Diva 2430 SE has no routing capabilities of its own. An analog telephone port can also be specified as an option, but not for the current BT ADSL implementation, as this already has a splitter in the line for a phone attachment.

Getting an ADSL modem to work can be tricky as there can be variations in the implementation of the service depending on the ISP and the hardware at the exchange. Fortunately that isn't a major issue with the Diva 2430 SE, which is compatible with all the leading DSLAMs (the DSL Access Modules) currently used in BT exchanges to connect the ADSL line to the supporting ATM or IP network. Clients for both PPPoA (Point to Point Protocol over ATM) and PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) are also built in as standard, and the modem can be used with both Full Rate and the so-called G.Lite implementations of ADSL. Also incorporated is proprietary technology known as Connect and Surf, which enables the modem to automatically configure itself for whatever service and speed of service it finds.

We tried it with a 512Kbits/sec multi-user business ADSL service from Demon and managed to connect after only a few minutes.

Performance monitoring and diagnostic software is provided on the accompanying CD-ROM. Plus there's a clutch of other bonus programs including a personal firewall - important with an always-on connection.

This is all fine so far, but it still isn't clear how the modem is intended to be used. One use could be to share a single-user ADSL service. With its choice of USB or Ethernet connections, the Diva 2430 SE makes sharing such a link a lot easier. But at present, BT doesn't permit the direct attachment of third-party hardware to its ADSL lines, and the terms and conditions of its single-user agreement preclude sharing such a connection.

Another reason might be to support a private DSL circuit. To this end, it's possible to rent a bare copper line between premises in the same BT exchange area and run a broadband service using DSL modems at either end at a fraction of the cost of a conventional leased line.

The Diva 2430 SE is a neat and well-made ADSL modem, with a choice of USB or Ethernet connectivity and some innovative technology. But until such time as BT allows end users to choose their own equipment, or is forced to allow other suppliers into its exchanges, it won't find many takers.

Author: Alan Stevens