1st off, I only do this at night not because of low traffic, but because no one except me uses the internet during night times.
The modem is a Zyxel EQ-660R. And if sync speed is basic, that should give you an idea of how cheap the modem is. Its not like I bought it, it came free with the service. Its also the smallest and lightest modem I've even had in my broadband days. I live in the country, I only have one internet provider, there's no cable or satellite alternatives, or even competing DSL providers, until the area around me develops more, Embarq is my only source of internet. I'll admit that Zyxel sounds cheap. I mean my last internet people when I lived in the city gave me modems that were built by Motorolla or some other big name.
On another note, for my router, I use a Lynksys WRT54G. It definately doesn't feel as cheeap as Zyxel but I can't seem to find any dignostics page that tells me anything you need to know. It has a basic IP information page, a Ping tester, and a list that tells me whose connected in the past 24 hours.