Very new, lost and need ADSL advice

[blackfriarsboy]

I burned the image and created a hard disk partition, and Knoppix is running well on my PC - but I need a steer on how to install my US Robotics modem. There's a lot of stuff on the USR website I don't yet understand and it's all about Red Hat anyway - do I follow the instructions and save it all on the hard disk partition? Can anyone steer me to something I can hope to understand?

I'm very much in the dark here, and quite overwhelmed by the mass of stuff there is to read!

Thanks, Blackfriarsboy

[Harry Kuhman]

You didn't say what model of modem you have. My advice for any DSL user is to on use an Ethernet based modem (not USB, not a card that installs inside the PC). Then use a very inexpensive home DSL/Cable router (often $10 after rebate, sometimes even free) and let that take care of all login and PPPoE issues. Your Knoppix (or Windows) systems then just connect to that with a standard eithernet cable. You are on the Internet as soon as the Knoppix Live CD boots. And you have the extra benefit of a hardware firewall protecting your network (very important for Windows users, a software firewall is just not enough).

[blackfriarsboy]

It's a US Robotics USB modem - and while I've had a dreadful time with XP without a firewall and want to agree with what you say, I'm just a little reluctant to dump it. They cost £50+ here, routers even more, and I suppose that translates as $100+. I could live on that more more than a week!

If there's no alternative, there's no alternative.

Thanks,

Blackfriarsboy

[blackfriarsboy]

Not that I haven't had a software firewall - I meant I haven't had the protection of an Ethernet ADSL modem.

BB

[Harry Kuhman]

It's a US Robotics USB modem - and while I've had a dreadful time with XP without a firewall and want to agree with what you say, I'm just a little reluctant to dump it. They cost £50+ here, routers even more,.... My ISP wanted to stick me with a USB modem too, but when I made it clear that I wasn't going to accept the service without an Ethernet modem they came around. Maybe your ISP will supply an ethernet modem. Maybe another ISP will provide one if you switch to them. I don't know what the options are where you live but maybe a cable company will switch you to a faster and cheaper cable based broadband solution and provide an ethernet modem, as is happening here. Maybe you can find a friend who has a old ethernet based DSL modem lying around collecting dust after switching to cable (I know at least two friends here that do).

As to router prices, some newer DSL modems even have the router built in, so don't buy one until you resolve your usb problem (unless it's just too good of a deal to pass up). I paid over $100 for my first Linksys router about 5 years ago. It was a good deal even at that pice considering the importance of what it does. Now the common price here in the States is around $30-$50, but there are very frequently "rebates" on them that bring the price down. Unfortunately these rebates usually are only available to US addresses (and sometimes Canada), but I would have expected that you could find similar pricing in the UK if you shopped around a bit.

In my mind USB modems are a short cut that should never have been taken. They should not exist. If you do use one you will be punished. Service providers like to supply them because they are cheap. But they like to keep customers even more, they know the importance and value of each customer on their books, and the costs of a real modem is something they are quite willing to pay if it means the difference between keeping a customer and the loss of a customer. That doesn't mean that they want to supply the slightly more expensive modem to everyone or will not try to make the customer pay extra charges if they can get away with it, but if you insist you can usually get what you need without paying extra (I did). If you have any other options other than your current ISP, shop around and tell the others that you need an ethernet modem to switch and see if you don't get it (and I'll bet you get it from your current ISP when you tell them why you are switching).

[blackfriarsboy]

It's not quite like that here in the UK - ISPs only rarely supply ADSL modems, and switching presents a problem because I feel bound to my ISP due to the popular website that I have with them.

Nope... Either I find a way to make this thing work, or I buy a new router/modem combination, which will hurt and will offend the SO. Prices here really are the way I described them!

http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/results.htm?searchPhrase=adsl+modem

Again, thanks for your help

Blackfriarsboy

[Harry Kuhman]

It's not quite like that here in the UK - ISPs only rarely supply ADSL modems, and switching presents a problem because I feel bound to my ISP due to the popular website that I have with them.... Good luck to you. You already know it's caused you some problems with Windows (Windows is not protected from many incoming exploits by a software firewall, as the IP traffic passes through a lot of things that can be exploited before it gets to the firewall). On top of that, never trust the Microsoft firewall and I don't think much of the ZA firewall either. I like Kerio or the old version 2.x Tiny Personal Firewall by the same people. I believe in using both a software and hardware firewall, even carry my old Linksys in my notebook bag if I ever visit a friend who doesn't use a router.

Please don't get the wrong impression. Some ISPs, including mine, rarely supply DSL ethernet modems here too, unless you demand it. Even if you don't switch you might want to shop and see what other ISP's will offer you. And that might give you a better bargaining position to call your ISP and tell them what you want. But if you're not willing to do that then you'll either have to use what they give you or pay for what you want.

And your locked in feeling points out another problem of using ISP provided web space and e-mail addresses. You should never let yourself be locked into them just for these simple items. I have plenty of email addresses other than my ISP, and really only use my ISP address for my ISP or for stuff I just don't care about. For others use a more portable account, such as Gmail or Spamgourmet (amoung the many free email services available on the web). Same for web hosting. For simple personal pages there are other sites that you can use that don't lock you into your ISP, for more elaborate sites there are extremely inexpensive commercial sites available that are a better choice that locking yourself to one ISP. If you choose to lock yourself in you pay for it later, as your above post indicates.

[blackfriarsboy]

You do pay - just as you say. If only I'd known what I was getting into back in the late 1990s!

I do appreciate your advice.

Blackfriarsboy

[Harry Kuhman]

.... If only I'd known what I was getting into back in the late 1990s!
If you've had it that long then I really really think you can get your IPS to play ball on this. I've had mine since 2000, my ISP knows I've spent thousands of dollars with them over the years for the service. If my modem when up in smoke today I would demand another modem from them. I'm certain their first reaction would be to tell me I had to pay for it. But I'm also certain I could cancel my service and, while still on the line with the same sales represenative, tell them I wanted to sign up again as a new customer, and get a free ethernet based modem.

My previous ISP (Midspring) once had a promotion, giving out an inexpensive webcam for new users. I called and asked what they were doing for existing loyal customers who had been with them for years. They said they would sell me a webcam, for more that the going prices in the stores! I canceled my account, signed up as a new customer during the same call, got my free webcam, and even got my "first month" of usage free too. The idiots could have just given loyal customers who ask for it the same deal as new users and it would have cost them less, but if you know what you want you can generally get it.

[blackfriarsboy]

That's a great story - the inability of bureaucracies to see beyond their own walls is a study of its own.

But no - I wouldn't get a modem out of my ISP. ISPs in the UK don't generally give modems on any kind to private customers. I'm pretty sure DABS is my best option.

Thanks, Blackfriarsboy

[blackfriarsboy]

Well, I got the router... And it works fine. I had no idea that a piece of computer gear would ever install itself so simple and efficiently - I've never seen anything like it.

All I have to do is to persuade the NVidia soundcard to work and figure out how to make WMV files fly, and almost everything will be hunky dory.

Thanks,

Gavin