High Speed Internet and Modems and stuff

[Jamon Camisso]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Hiscocks" <phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org>
To: <tlug-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org>
Cc: "Jim Koch" <jkoch-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org>
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 7:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TLUG]: High Speed Internet and Modems and stuff


>
> Actually, it was a USB DSL modem, Gnet BB0069, that wouldn't play with
> Linux. I should have said that. There didn't seem to be any linux drivers
> available for it.
>
> Once I figured out (with the help of advice from this group, thank-you,
> folks) that this wasn't going to work, I asked Pathcom to supply a
> replacement RJ-45 connected modem Gnet BB0060, for which they charged $80.
> No tradein of the USB modem, alas. I also added a Linksys router to the
> system.
>
> Pathcom had configured the BB0060 as a standalone modem (without a router)
> and it had to be reconfigured as a straight pass-through device. Once that
> was done the system worked fine with 3 to 4 machines connected to the
> router. I was particularly impressed that I could plug in my laptop with 
> Suse
> 9.2, reboot, and be connected to the net. (Another suggestion from this
> group.)
>
> Anyway, I have this USB ADSL modem which someone is welcome to if they can
> use it.
>
> Peter
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 15, 2005 at 05:11:42PM -0400, Lennart Sorensen wrote:
>> On Fri, Apr 15, 2005 at 02:41:24PM -0400, Kevin Cozens wrote:
>> > I am surprised that Peter wasn't able to get a USB (cable?) modem
>> > working. I made the switch to from dial-up to Rogers for high speed
>> > Internet access back in August of 2004. I ordered it as a self-install.
>> > Two guys from Rogers came. Once the wiring was in place the modem was
>> > connected to the line and tested. After that it was up to me to get it
>> > going with my computer.
>> >
>> > Unlike in the past, I was not given a NIC. The cable modem only came
>> > with a USB cable. I wanted to use a USB connection to the cable modem
>> > anyway since my NIC is used to connect to my laptop. My only concern 
>> > was
>> > how hard it would be to configure Linux to use a cable modem as I
>> > remembered the difficulties many people on this list had trying to get
>> > their Linux boxes set up in the early days of cable based access to the 
>> > net.
>> >
>> > Setting up the Windows side of the machine was no problem. Setting up
>> > the Linux side of my machine turned out to be a lot easier than I
>> > expected. My cable modem back then was a Motoroloa Terayon TJ615. I
>> > eventualy found that the key to getting it working under Linux was to
>> > select "CDC Ethernet" as the driver for the network interface. The 
>> > other
>> > thing I discovered was that the cable modem interface should be started
>> > first so it can set the default gateway. If any other network 
>> > interfaces
>> > start before the cable modem interface make sure they don't set a
>> > default gateway or you will have trouble accessing the net.
>> >
>> > My TJ615 developed some flakiness after a couple of months (it would
>> > drop the link to the net and require power cycling to get back on 
>> > line).
>> > Eventually, I had Rogers return to take another look at the modem (the
>> > first person who looked at it didn't really do anything). The two guys
>> > that showed up had a new modem in hand. Apparantly, when they hear of
>> > reports of problems and a TJ615 is involved, they just swap the modem. 
>> > I
>> > now have a Motorola Surfboard 5100 cable modem still connected to my PC
>> > via a USB link. It has been working and reliable ever since it was 
>> > first
>> > plugged in. I didn't even have to change the driver. It also worked 
>> > just
>> > fine using the CDC Ethernet driver. Top speeds I have seen during file
>> > transfers have hit 355kB/s. Sure beats 56k dial-up!
>>
>> Well it is great to know that they all seem to agree to follow the USB
>> CDC ethernet interface standard.  Makes life simpler at least without
>> needing drivers.  If only usb adsl modems would do the same.
>>
>> As for transfer rates, I have hit just over 600KB/s on my motorola
>> surfboard (I think 5100).
>>
>> Lennart Sorensen
>> --
>> The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
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>
> -- 
> Peter D. Hiscocks
> Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
> Ryerson University,
> 350 Victoria Street,
> Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2K3, Canada
>
> Phone:   (416) 979-5000 Ext 6109
> Fax:     (416) 979-5280
> Email:   phiscock-g851W1bGYuGnS0EtXVNi6w at public.gmane.org
> URL:     http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~phiscock
> --
> The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
> TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
> How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://tlug.ss.org/subscribe.shtml
>

I'd write them a letter complaining. They should know that USB modems aren't 
very functional with Linux  and ADSL (I'm sure you aren't the only one to 
have had the same problem with them). Since they only require "An IBM PC or 
clone... or a MAC computer running MacOS 8 or greater" to use your 
connection, implying that there is not a clearly defined lack of support for 
Linux, which you are paying for regardless, you shouldn't have to pay extra 
for an RJ-45 capable modem (surely they can just take your onld one and sell 
it to someone else).

Thoughts? 

--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://tlug.ss.org
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://tlug.ss.org/subscribe.shtml