broadband connectivity advice

[igueths at comcast.net]

I really have no idea why they put system requirements on their pages
anyway, anything with a nic can be assigned an ip by their dhcp server.
Reason its probably there is bc they are telling you what they support. One
thing I should warn you about though...If you have to call the cable
provider to report that you know is on your end, and the problem is
isolated to your particular outside wiring, they generally won't help you
unless you tell them you're running windblows...I know it sounds stupid,
but if they ask you "Did you restart the computer, and power-cycle the
cable modem? And if you tell them "I don't have to reboot, I'm running
Linux!" They generally won't help you and that's pretty much end of call. I
read on newsforge about some guy who had that same type of problem with
timewarner.

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Alex Snow alex_snow at gmx.net
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2004 19:32:26 -0500
To: speakup at braille.uwo.ca
Subject: Re: broadband connectivity advice


I'll try to answer your questions as best as possible. I have been 
using a cable modem for several years. the equipment used is the 
surfboard (made by motorola?) which works fine with just about 
anything you hook up to it.
You asked about what the installer does. basically he sets up your 
cable modem's internal settings and notes it's mac address. he may 
also assing you an ip address depending on your setup. all that is 
needed on your end is to set your machine to dhcp and hook a network 
cable from your computer to the cable modem's ethernet interface.

Also you asked about installing client software. all you need is the 
basic linux tcp/ip stuff and the drivers for your network card. Your 
connection looks to linux like you're hooked into a standard lan. 

Once again this depends on your provider. I havent seen any companies 
that require special software but they may exist. also most isp's 
system requirements can be disreguarded. I.E. in my isp's faq they say 
you need at least a pentium 233 with 128mb ram. I have successfully 
used their survice with a pentium 120 with 16mb of ram and could go 
much lower. hell, if i had a vax with an ethernet controler it'd 
probably work.

On 
Mon, Jan 05, 2004 at 06:44:20PM -0500, Chuck Hallenbeck wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
> 
> Hi gang,
> 
> When we moved in mid November I abandoned my second phone line
> and my dialup ISP in favor of DSL with Verizon. It worked like a
> charm for me, and I would keep it if I could, but I have become
> embroiled with a huge fight with Verizon over issues too complex
> to discuss here. The bottom line is that I am switching phone
> services and thus am losing my DSL connection too. My new phone
> service does not offer DSL in this area.
> 
> I am going to give cable modem a whirl and on Wednesday an
> installer is coming to get me started. I have a couple of
> questions which I hope someone on the list can answer or point me
> to somewhere to find answers.
> 
> 1. What part of the setup must be done by my provider, and what
> part by me? My provider advertises that they only support Windows
> and Mac OS, but that's what Verizon said too.
> 
> 2. With DSL, I used the Roaring Penguin PPP-O-E scripts and
> configuring, starting, and stopping my connection was a snap. Is
> there any analogous tool for handling cable modem DHCP
> connections?
> 
> 3. I found lots of stuff to read about DSL, but precious little
> about cable modem in Linux. Anyone know something useful I can
> sink my teeth into?
> 
> My system is a Slackware 9.1 distro with lots of bells and
> whistles. But I have tasted a high speed connection and can
> hardly bear to use a 56K dialup ISP again.
> 
> Thanks for any advice.
> 
> Chuck
> 
> 
> - -- 
> The Moon is Waxing Gibbous (97% of Full)
> In a world without Fences or Walls no one needs Windows or Gates.
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> 
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-- 
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