It would likely make things a great deal easier if you were to simply get a $50 NAT router (Linksys makes some good ones). That way all the computers would be able to use the internet if needed, they'd be protected from various security threats, etc.
Does the DSL modem have any sort of ethernet support at all? If not, I strongly suggest that you return it and/or simply buy one at a computer shop (they're not that pricey). Heck, eBay has hundreds of DSL modems for sale.
Cheers!
Well, a NAT box more or less is a firewall. It simply won't let any data in unless it was requested by a machine inside the NAT.
Many these days come with "stateful firewalls" which are somewhat more advanced.
Either one will protect you from probes, worms, etc. Obviously, suitable security software should be installed on all system inside anyway. A NAT box (or indeed any firewall) is not the End All Be All of security.
As for being familiar with DSL, it's not terribly complicated -- it's just an internet connection over your phone wires. *shrugs* No different really in function than a cable modem, dialup, an office connection, etc.
It /should/ have ethernet as well as USB. If not, demand one that does.
I'm not sure what you mean by "protocols" -- DSL can carry any type of IP data (including both TCP and UDP packets), within the limits imposed by your ISP. Some ISPs restrict outgoing port 25 (outgoing email) to prevent the spread of viruses and worms from infected home PCs.
((( Snip )))
Check out the "FAQS+Info" section at
I just ordered SBC DSL. They told me they do not support NT4SP6. I have 3 computer lan but I only want one computer connected to the net. ( That way I only have to worry about all the crap from the net on one computer. )
One runs 98. One runs Linux 2.4.18 kernel. One runs NT.
I can move a lot of stuff around and use my 98 computer for net access, but now I am using my NT box, and I really don't want to change unless I have to.
Unfortunately the modem they send uses a USB port. Is it possible to get it working on my NT box?
Sorry. I forgot to say thanks.
Exactly Pete.
Get a Cable/DSL Router as the Linksys BEFSR41 and the point is moot. Verizon doesn't support HP JetDirect print-servers but I have a HP Business inkjet that has an internal HP JetDirect print-server and it support IPP. Since it is behind a Linksys BEFSR81 whether Verizon supports it or not is a moot point. Any TCP/IP complaint device can be on the LAN side of a Cable/DSL Router.
Dave
| > Unfortunately the modem they send uses a USB port. | > Is it possible to get it working on my NT box? | | It would likely make things a great deal easier if you were to simply | get a $50 NAT router (Linksys makes some good ones). That way all the | computers would be able to use the internet if needed, they'd be | protected from various security threats, etc. | | Does the DSL modem have any sort of ethernet support at all? If not, I | strongly suggest that you return it and/or simply buy one at a computer | shop (they're not that pricey). Heck, eBay has hundreds of DSL modems | for sale. | | Cheers! | | -- | Pete Stephenson | HeyPete.com
Ok. I'm presumming that newer NAT routers all come with firewalls ;) I'm not that familiar with NAT or DSL, so at this point, I just want something stable until I figure things out and setup the way I want.
One thing that sounds good to me is using my Linux box as a NAT. My main computer triple boots: NT,98 and Linux. If I really need to use Linux for something, that is the computer I use. Or if I need to do something with two Linux boxes. The "Linux all the time" box is setup basically as a print server, storage device, backup device and it serves some Web pages locally ( like Perl and Python docs, or my own docs, or some local Web services, like configuring samba, I don't want the rest of the world to even see it.) It wouldn't hurt preformance much to set it up as a NAT.
I have no idea what modem they will send or how it works. Basically it's free ( so I don't really care ) I have to return it when the service is stopped. I also don't know what protocols they are using for anything ( or even what the possible protocols are ).
I am basically getting their cheapy deal, the $26.95 ( plus taxes that they don't call taxes because the government won't let them call them taxes ) thing, because that is all that I can afford for now.
I don't want to freak out their sales people. My understanding is that the sales people are often times clueless about technical details. ( The person I spoke to is nice, but she couldn't tell me whether they run their own nntp server--no biggie, they are sales people not techie geeks ). I don't want to send her running of in search of a better plan because I ask questions about the boundaries. Instead I ask here, get a lay of the land, learn the technical details, then I look at the deal and do what I can. I'm hoping someone who uses SBC can pass on some of their experiences.
At this point I guess the best way to sum up is to say that what I am looking for is a web page "How to Install DSL" for people who have no clue, are told that the signal is coming throught their phone jack, and the rest of the setup is up to them. Then a second page describing how SBC is different from other services.
Thanks for you reply. It helps me frame the question better.
internal HP
on the LAN
Ok. According to tghe Linksys web page you need a DSL modem. AFAIK the modem they send me only has a USB outlet.
Hmm. That's interesting. I haven't recieved it yet, I'm going by what the sales person said which was USB.
Would seem kind of dumb because I'm not even sure that USB can handle the speed, but USB is on most Windows computers, I don't know that ethernet is.
I forgot. I just came across a web page,
There do exist USB modems. They should handle the speed. Maybe SBC is sending you the 2Wire, which does USB and ethernet.
No RJ45 for the LAN side ?
What is the model of the DSL Modem ?
Dave
| >Get a Cable/DSL Router as the Linksys BEFSR41 and the point is moot. Verizon doesn't | >support HP JetDirect print-servers but I have a HP Business inkjet that has an internal HP | >JetDirect print-server and it support IPP. Since it is behind a Linksys BEFSR81 whether | >Verizon supports it or not is a moot point. Any TCP/IP complaint device can be on the LAN | >side of a Cable/DSL Router. | >
| Ok. According to tghe Linksys web page you need a DSL modem. AFAIK the | modem they send me only has a USB outlet.
_Allegedly_ does USB...
No. Call SBC and have them give you a modem with an Ethernet port.
John Jones, Detroit
Indeed. I just like the concept of a dedicated piece of machinery (i.e. an actual NAT box, rather than an actual computer configured to do the same) that handles this. Same benefits apply, but with less risk (not having to go around turning off all the extra processes on a *nix machine, or just even having a Windows machine in the first place).
True. Maybe the offices I've worked at have been fairly clued. :)
Every DSL modem I've heard of has ethernet installed. Some have the addition of USB, but none that I know of are *only* USB. We'll see when the equipment arrives. :)
Ah. Many (I hesitate to say "all" or "nearly all") DSL modems for home use are ADSL modems and should be compatible with nearly any provider that also uses ADSL. For example, I'm switching from Speakeasy.net to Sonic.net for DSL service and will be using the exact same modem I already have. Even though the new equipment is essentially free ($99 - $99 rebate), it's more equipment I don't need around the house and thats $99 out of my pocket until the rebate comes back in.
This is sort of the logic for my "one computer sees the net" strategy. With one computer, I only have to worry about it. so I lock down that computer from a security standpoint. The only way to access the other computers is through the LAN. Since there is no way to know what my configuration is, a hacker would have to put in a lot of time to get at stuff that is not worth the effort.
I also take the OS on the "one computer" and make a disk image. Once a month I restore that image. ( Not for security, but because I have learned the MS operating systems become corrupt about once a month. The OS on my computer is never more than one month old. ) Then I make whatever changes I make to the system ( for example new programs ) install them, then make new Disk Images. Like I said, it's not for security, but it does help there.
I've worked with office systems. They can get pretty complicated.
While I want to be cheap, I don't want to be that cheap. I suspect that they just pick the cheapest equipment they can, and I may not have much of a choice. Also, it's already on it's way. Rather then go back and forth with UPS, I would like to just get my own cheap but reliable equipment.
I think that last is a good idea. Especially for the morons who put AnalogX Proxy on their machines :) .
By protocols, I basically mean hardware protocols. By this I mean input to a DSL modem, are there different formats for the signal sent down the phone line so that not all modems work on all connections? Are there combination modems and routers? Are there routers that take USB input (probably a combo of USB and ethernet)? Put simply, I just don't know how these things are organised.
My pleasure! :)
This is something I'm afraid I don't have the answer for, nor did some time puttering around Google answer.
My DSL modem has only been turned off momentarily to reset it since I bought it, and I had full speed as soon as I plugged it in the first time.
I've heard some rumblings in this newsgroup (comp.dcom.xdsl) specifically relating to "break-in periods" for DSL modems where they "learn" the electrical characteristics of the line for a week or so and fine-tune it. I'm not sure if this is myth or truth. Either way, you certainly can't go wrong with simply leaving your DSL modem on. There's no real sense in leaving the computer on if you don't need to.
Hopefully this helps out a bit, though I'm not entirely sure I've provided any information that may prove useful.
Cheers!
I found a website where they give a list of modems. I don't know if it is accurate, but from manuals ( which are pretty vague ) one of the modems has ethernet, and one looks like it might be a USB only modem. I tried finding spec sheets but the companies don't seem to be very good about providing them on their web sites ( Westel, Efficient, Alcatel ).
Depending on where they mail the equipment from, I should find out soon.
Thanks. Most people here have been helpfull, you most of all. I have one final question. They told me I should keep the system on for 10 days because they will be doing fine tuning of speed. What does that mean? Wil l they need me to keep on my computers, or just the modem? If I change the comfiguration ie replace the modem or change the modem will I have to have them fine tune again? Sounded a bit weird to me.
SBC starts you out on the minimum speed of the plan, 384kbps down, then monitors the connection, and increments the speed upward until they see too many transmission errors, then back off by one increment. Or something like that. If you don't leave the modem on they won't get the data they need to set your speed cap. You could wind up at a lower download rate than your line can handle.
You can probably find more details on SBC operations at
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