Time for DSL

[QuikSanz]

OK, dialup is sooo slow, time to go. On a previous thread I learned
it's better to use a router. Now I have a pentiuminum ? in the house,
I only touch when broken to make it work again, Ya. In alls opinion
what router to use. Any user feedback, what's good out there in the
world.

Thanx in advance,
Chris

[Allen]

I'm using the LinkSYS four port router/switch.

BEFSR41 - I think.

Very good.  Just plug it in, reboot and away you go.

Only £30 too.  FIrewall etc...as standard.

[Tomas]

I just use some old pc running debian linux as router, works very well  :-)

[Rigger]

If your talking about using the pentium as a router I highly recommend SME gateway/server. Based on redhat it is quick, simple to set up and very stable. Get the latest stable version 5.6, the 6.0beta still needs a lot of work.

E-smith Server

[AdMartin]

I used Coyote Linux, which runs off a floppy disk. It saved me the hard drive noise, although it took a minute or so to boot. When the fans (CPU fan & PSU fan) on my router computer decided to call it quits, I went to buy an ordinary router (Netgear) instead and I've never looked back. Quiet and no boot time.

/Martin

[Rigger]

by Allen on 2003/7/26 12:49:48

I'm using the LinkSYS four port router/switch.

BEFSR41 - I think.

Very good. Just plug it in, reboot and away you go.

Only £30 too. FIrewall etc...as standard.

Another good option, used one before setting up my linux (E-smith) router. Heck I'll sell you my old one for 50USD(+shipping)

[shIva]

a very good router is the lancom dsl/10. it supports vpn/ipsec, fw, cron, syslog, etc. i use it for more than one year now.
if you need a router for other reasons, than just connecting to the internet (ie for connections to your companies intranet), this one is recommended.
the price is slightly higher than normal routers (~300 eur).

[QuikSanz]

Thanks to all for the help. X-Surf
is on the way, now to hunt for a good router & service.
God I love this place. always helpfull people.

Thanks mates
Chris

[kd7ota]

Since my Cable modem provider allows me to have 4 different IPs, then I juse used a normal 5 port switch.  The uplink port was connected to the cable modem, and of course the rest of the ports are connected to the rest of the computers in my place.  I might have to get some kind of router, but I will use a PC to do the work of one.  :-D

[QuikSanz]

@ kd7ota
Because of the density where I live, cable is likely to be slow and uneven. Thats why I pick DSL.

Chris

[lorddef]

A little off topic but how exactly do cable broadband (like NTL broadband) connections connect up?  Do you plug into the phone line like ADSL or do they provide an ethernet connection or something?

[that_punk_guy]

Cable modems use a cable TV channel to transmit data, then at your end they connect to your machine via USB or ethernet (preferable). NTL's modems have both ports so you can choose for yourself  :-) although the engineer will connect it to the USB port, because NTL are stupid and don't realise how much that bogs the entire machine down  :-D

[lorddef]

So if it's connected by ethernet I'm guessing that the modem holds all the dial settings and dials out itself like a router?

[Floid]

lorddef wrote:
So if it's connected by ethernet I'm guessing that the modem holds all the dial settings and dials out itself like a router?

Routers don't "dial."  Both cable and DSL 'modems' are more accurately described as 'bridges;' they bridge from cable or DSL media/protocols to ethernet.  There's no "dialing" involved, since the links are always active.

However, the data frames on the ethernet link aren't necessarily what you'd think of as an "internet connection."  With some providers (usually cable), it *is* that simple; with others (usually DSL), they may use PPPoE to encapsulate the link and allow for authorization that way (PPP user/pass fields, PAP or CHAP, etc.  Yes, same encapsulation as is used for dialup; it seems they're happy to use the same monitoring techniques for either type of customer, since companies with major dialup services have already invested a lot in PPP-monitoring tools.)

Funny thing is, it'd make a lot more sense to use an encapsulation on *cable,* since otherwise you're basically sharing what acts like an ethernet segment with all your neighbors.  (Can you say "packet sniffer?"  Can you say, "Oh crap, someone misconfigured their personal DHCP server to point outward to the cable network?"  Maybe the Euro services have it together better.)

Anyhow, aside from the ability to share the single address you'll get across multiple machines, most home "routers" can handle things like PPPoE for you, taking some of the headaches out if you don't know what you're doing.  Most provider-supplied modems are the dirt-cheapest they can offer, and don't include such niceties built in; many providers do offer unified models as an upgrade.

I still think 2wire's got it going on, if you're someone who really doesn't want to have to think about it.  Downside in Amiga-land is you'll need at least one box with real DHCP support to configure the little things, and maybe a Mac or Windows machine if you buy your unit used and need to enter a new "configuration code."  (Yes, they normally sell through providers, but there's a "manual code" that still leaves the box about 10 times less confusing than a Linksys to talk your relatives through over the phone.  Just easier for them to have clueless people enter one string of random text than look at the configuration screens at all.)