ADSL with USB

[Peter Lavender]

> I'm about to get ADSL connected, and discovered that there are USB and
> Ethernet modems.

Avoid the USB modem if you can.  The Ethernet modem will come wtih a
NIC to install into your computer when the tech turns up.. but that's
ok.. you can pull it out when they go.

The problem with the USB modem is that it needs a comptuer iwth a USB
port into it to connect to... this might sound easy now, but when you
want to stick an old 386/486 to act as a firewall you have to get
yourself a USB card to do it.. if you can.

> Are there issues using the USB ones under Linux???


I don't have any personal knowledge there.. but I wouldn't think so.
I use smoothwall for my firewall and I seem to remember it has a
config option for the USB stuff.

Of course I'm using an old 486 that doesn't have USB...

> At the moment I'm running Debian unstable on a G4 Mac, but when the
> lease runs out I'll switch to Intel Debian.
> So if there are issues on either can someone please let me know??
> I believe the modem they send out is made by D-Link

It doesn't really matter too much as to what the modem is, I think
it's more the protocol you use, which on Telstra ADSL is PPPoE.  

I'm generally lazy these days, and have found smoothwall to work well
enough that's it a install configure and click go type situation.
There are other options for a firewall including the dlink firmware
firewall stuff, and other firewall like distro's.

Getting ADSL to work on any linix system should be a matter of
following a HOWTO.. 

 

Regards,

Pete.