[GTALUG] USB to Ethernet Dongles WAS: Debian Linux as-a-router Guide

[Evan Leibovitch]

On Sat, Sep 9, 2023 at 9:56 AM D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk <talk at gtalug.org>
wrote:


> Notebooks are almost supplanting "regular" PCs.
>

IMO we're well beyond the "almost" in that statement.
COVID led to work-from-home which necessitated laptops for employees in the
services sector.
Even though the COVID threat has reduced, WFH is never going away.
For typical business use there is no compelling reason for a desktop.

But also, for the purpose of this thread, even "regular" PCs are
increasingly coming with wifi as an alternative to wired networking. Ditto
printing, where only premium units have Ethernet but most have wifi. This
makes sense as most homes are well wired for RJ11 POTS service, but few are
wired for RJ45. So the usual solution I have seen lately is to blanket even
large houses with mesh wifi like the TP-Link Deco line. This seems good
enough for most people as even 4K televisions are fine with wifi.

I was fortunate enough to buy a house from a developer when all that
existed at the time of purchase was a sales office and a hectare or two of
dirt. So I was able to do custom wiring. Requesting almost every room wired
with RJ45 was so unusual it took me almost a full afternoon to explain it
to the contractor. Then they brought in a commercial team that tried to
sell me massively overpriced Ethernet switches. But I ended up happy with
the result, though I have no idea if it will affect the house's resale
value.

I have three USB-to-Ethernet devices. One was supplied by Asus with the
laptop. Another is a TP-Link UE300C That is used with other laptops. But
the one I use the most is a $21 hub I bought on Aliexpress that also
includes an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and some additional USB-A ports.
All have worked well under both Windows and Linux (KDE Neon), though I
haven't exactly stress-tested them. The hub is fussy about the order of
plugging things in but it works.


> Notebooks are a bargain compared with regular PCs.
>
This I won't agree with. I've been able to easily assemble desktop PCs with
off-the-shelf parts (providing the shelves are at Canada Computers) for
less money than an equivalent laptop. Desktop RAM is usually cheaper than
the laptop variety.  And of course you have the advantage of upgrading (or
downgrading the screen, keyboard and pointing device to one of your
choosing. Why pay for a touchpad if you're only going to plug a mouse in
anyway?

Most of the business users I know have a docking unit at home for their
laptop, into which is plugged a mouse and keyboard as well as a second
screen. This combo is never a bargain compared to a desktop PC that doesn't
have redundant components. Also consider that at the low end, a mini PC
capable of running most business apps can be had, with 12GB of RAM and
Windows pre-loaded, for about $200
<https://www.amazon.ca/ACEMAGICIAN-N5095-Desktop-Computer-Ethernet/dp/B0BPP33R3L/ref=sr_1_13>.
The evolution of the Intel NUC concept and its many competitors shows no
sign of slowing.

USB-ethernet problems will prevent using notebooks as servers.
>

A headless mini-PC as a server will be many times cheaper than a
similarly-powered laptop and all of them come with at least one Ethernet,
usually gigabit.

They will also prevent most other computers from being used as routers.
>

Not if they have a free PCI slot
<https://www.amazon.ca/Gigabit-Ethernet-Express-Network-Controller/dp/B07XJ8CMQX/ref=sr_1_14>,
and most full-chassis desktops do.

- Evan
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