Quote Originally Posted by Daeve
Unfortunately the majority of ADSL (which is used over the phoneline in the UK - provided by BT - British Telecom, and often this line is actually provided by another ISP that basically rents it off BT like Wanadoo, Pipex etc..) providers in the UK give away a free, or offer with the service only a USB connected ADSL modem - often the Speedtouch USB (frog modem and the like) ones......
My ISP in the US (BellSouth) tried to stick me with a USB only modem too. But I insisted on an ethernet conection or I would not accept the service. They said they had to send someone out to install the ethernet modem and the service call would cost $150. Again I protested. They finally waved the fees and I got my "free" ethernet modem (and the "install", although I had to stop the idiot they sent from breaking stuff and install it myself, just let him watch). That was a few years ago. At this point DSL modems have a lot more features and are less expensive. Many people have switched providers over to cable and have old DSL modems lying around collecting dust, or they have even just tossed them in the trash. I know of at least two people who have unused DSL modems with ethernet ports this way, and would be surprised if I could not find more by asking amoung my friends. Given the clear dangers from running a system behind an DSL modem with no hardwall firewall (particularly Windows, since that's about all that will run on the USB type interface), I consider running on the USB interface plain stupid. You just need to hold your ground with the service provider and insist that you get what you want (at a price that you find acceptable).

Some hints that may help get you there: When you talk to people at the ISP that want to know about your hardware, tell then that you have a free ethernet port available. Tell them that you do not have any free slots available (yes, there are DSL modems that don''t work worth a darn and fit right in the slot, and of course they only have windows drivers. If they ask what OS you run you might tell them Linux, but if they say Linux is not supported try Win95 (that's how I convinced them that I didn't have USB support and so couldn't accept the USB modem).