Some ADSL related questions, please.

[AmigaMance]

Hi.
 I'm a relatively new to ADSL and i have some questions about it. I hope someone more experienced than me will take the time to answer them.
 I have an Amiga 1200 and i have connect a ADSL router to it, through a 10/100M PCMCIA ethernet card driven by the cnet16.device.

- My first question is the thing it bothers me the most. :-(
Many times while i try to download something, my connection hangs without an apparent reason. I lose access with the internet completely, icluding the built-in web interface of the router! This doesn't happen everytime but at random intervals.
 When this happens while running MiamiDX, i can revive my connection by disconecting and connecting again. With other stacks, i have to reboot.
 What do you that i should blame for this. I can only say that it's not the: Ethernet cable, OS, internet client, TCP/IP stack or the stack settings, because i have tried to tweak all of them!


- What is the max internet speed that my Amiga can cope without using => 90% of the CPU?
 Under OS3.9 the CPU is a 68040/25. Under MOS a 603/180 Mhz.

And 2 questions about my router's settings:
- What ports should i block in my firewall? Right now, i only block the standard Telnet and FTP ports as they are the most dangerous ones. I'm not running any servers.
- Should i spend some time to forward only the ports which are required by p2p apps and such? Currently i'm running it at "demilitarized zone" mode. (forwards all ports) Is this dangerous in an Amiga setup?

[Ilwrath]

Many times while i try to download something, my connection hangs without an apparent reason. I lose access with the internet completely, icluding the built-in web interface of the router! This doesn't happen everytime but at random intervals.

Do you have a PC or another ethernet device you can use for testing?  

Two possibilities jump out at me:
1) The ADSL modem is crashing.  
2) Your PCMCIA network card dies.

Without some other device you can use to test for those two possibilities, I'm not sure what to tell ya.  

Do you lose link light on the ADSL modem when this happens?  

Should i spend some time to forward only the ports which are required by p2p apps and such? Currently i'm running it at "demilitarized zone" mode. (forwards all ports) Is this dangerous in an Amiga setup?

It's probably not "dangerous" for an Amiga setup to be in the DMZ, as not too many things exploit one.  ;-)  Really, though, at least for testing, put yourself in the NAT, and just let the ADSL modem filter all the incoming crap that heads your way.  One less variable to worry about.

[AmigaMance]

Ilwrath wrote:

Many times while i try to download something, my connection hangs without an apparent reason. I lose access with the internet completely, icluding the built-in web interface of the router! This doesn't happen everytime but at random intervals.

Do you have a PC or another ethernet device you can use for testing?

 
 No.

Two possibilities jump out at me:
1) The ADSL modem is crashing.  
2) Your PCMCIA network card dies.

 That's what i think too. I guess i will have to buy a new router and if the problem persists, a new card.
 Another potential candidates that could be responsible for the problem is a bug in cnet16.device or a problem in my Amiga's motherboard. I do have a spare mobo, but it's too much of a hassle to replace it...
 Which chip(s) controls the PCMCIA port? These 4 small chips right next to it?

Without some other device you can use to test for those two possibilities, I'm not sure what to tell ya.  

Do you lose link light on the ADSL modem when this happens?

 No, it remains lit.  

Should i spend some time to forward only the ports which are required by p2p apps and such? Currently i'm running it at "demilitarized zone" mode. (forwards all ports) Is this dangerous in an Amiga setup?

It's probably not "dangerous" for an Amiga setup to be in the DMZ, as not too many things exploit one.  ;-)  Really, though, at least for testing, put yourself in the NAT, and just let the ADSL modem filter all the incoming crap that heads your way.  One less variable to worry about.

 Ok. I have the NAT of the router enabled (if this is what you mean) since my ISP requires this to accept my connection anyway.

[Zac67]

The DMZ also needs NAT since you only get one public IP from your ISP.

The only difference is the automatic forwarding of all ports which is unnecessary and a security risk (for Windoze at least).

[Damion]

AmigaMance wrote:

- My first question is the thing it bothers me the most. :-(
Many times while i try to download something, my connection hangs without an apparent reason. I lose access with the internet completely, icluding the built-in web interface of the router! This doesn't happen everytime but at random intervals.

May want to try upgrading your router firmware.

[AmigaMance]

@Zac67
 Ok

@-D-
 I did it some months ago.