

Ask HN: DSL Modem permanent damage by unplugging the phone line? - lisper

My DSL modem died, so hoping to minimize risk I got an AT&amp;T-branded Pace 4111N.  When I opened the box, the modem had the following printed on a yellow sticker covering the power port:<p>&quot;During power-up (~15 minutes), do NOT unplug power cord or green data cable.  This can permanently damage gateway AND significantly delay Service Activation.&quot;&lt;p&gt;(Note: the green data cable is the phone&#x2F;DSL line.)<p>I have never heard of permanent damage being done to a DSL modem by unplugging the phone line during initialization.  Is this actually possible, or is the sticker just being alarmist?  What would be the mechanism?
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georgemcbay
I don't know much about DSL modems but the only thing that really makes sense
given the electronics and the 15 minute timing is that they don't want you to
pull the network plug out during an initial firmware update.

One would hope that this wouldn't be as fatal as they suggest since the
network could disappear suddenly for any number of reasons that aren't limited
to physical line disconnection.

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lisper
> One would hope that this wouldn't be as fatal as they suggest

Indeed. Thanks.

