On 2 May 2002, at 5:23, Dennis W. Manasco wrote: > 2) They fear that, if they allow routers, they will have customers > who put a bazzilion computers on a single DSL/Cable line and tank the > through-put of everyone on that network segment. > > [When calling about problems, never mention to your DSL provider that > you are using a router except under duress. If you do, then any > problems that you have will be filed in the "Customer is an Idiot" > bin and ignored and you won't get any relief from problems that are > the provider's fault (e.g. bad lines).]
The way around that is to tell them you are using the router for the minimal firewall protection that its NAT features give you. That is, every broadband router I've seen using non-routable addresses inside the network, and takes care of keeping track of which computer inside the network requested the information from outside the local network (from the Internet). This is a valid configuration, one computer connected to a router, and does not violate the terms of service of any of the major broadband providers (so far as I'm aware). If it *does* violate their terms, then you should seek a different provider. [] > 1) When you initially sign on to your DSL service you may find it > easier (maybe _much_ easier) to connect your DSL modem directly to > your computer and later (after you have established your permanent > user name and password) transfer that information to the router. Don't bother. These things are very, very easy. I've done lots of broadband installations for clients and friends, and I can now do it over the phone. If the router is a DHCP server also (as most of them are), you probably have to make only one change in the client PC's TCP/IP setup, to use DHCP. Once that's done, you shouldn't need to do anything. It only gets tricky if you need some of the PCs inside the network to be a fixed IP address (say, mapping an incoming port on the router to be forwarded to a particular PC -- very common with remote control software like PC Anywhere or VNC). > 2) My ISP was recently bought out by EarthLink and they want me to > install all of their branded software on my system. So far I have > ignored this without any problems. However, for new installs, this > may be required. Set up a separate boot system for OS 9.xx using your > install disks and boot off of that before you install their software > (with the DSL modem directly connected to your ethernet port). You > can use this System to figure out the settings that they require and > transfer them to your router. After you have the router working and > you have set up your OS X (or your OS 9.xx) System to access the > internet via DHCP to your router, erase the temporary boot System, > and access the internet with your normal software, ignoring the > EarthLink-branded stuff that they sent you. Again, I recommend against this. I have set up literall dozens of clients, with RoadRunner Cable, Optimum Online Cable, Earthlink DSL and Verizon DSL, and I have not installed any of the software provided. I actually tested to see what the RoadRunner software did -- all it does is install a RR-branded version of Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and a mostly useless network analyis tool with the worst user interface there ever was. It does nothing to improve connection speed or reliability, and is not required for use of the connection. DSL often requires WinPOEt (POE stands for PPP Over Ethernet, PPP being the set of technologies that enables dialup access to the Internet from remote computers, what we've all mostly been using since 1995 or so for our Internet access). But all of the broadband routers I know of have POE support built in, so the router takes care of it for you. In short, start out *not* installing the software, and do so only if you can't get it to work otherwise. -- David W. Fenton | http://www.bway.net/~dfenton David Fenton Associates | http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
