I'm shifting to a new (old) house next week, and have been thinking about how to set up internet access there. I have as existing hardware:
-Homebuilt 1.6G box dual-booting win2k and Mandrake (thanks Wesley) with LAN card
-Wife's Dell laptop, win98se (and no, she won't change), PCMCIA 56k modem and LAN card
-Linksys BEFSR41 router
-Access to many meters of very cheap CAT5 and easy access to drop it into rooms.
Currently only the laptop is online and the computers aren't networked. I would like to get both boxes online, and have been deciding whether to go dialup or DSL. I would like to solicit opinions on DSL providers - I'm leaning toward Paradise as they have provided flawless dialup for six months. I like, but don't really need, high bandwidth. I download a lot of music from Usenet, but with a dedicated dialup these can be queued overnight. I like to listen to streaming music (SomaFM, Monkey Radio), but the couple of times I've tried it here in NZ (at the e-caf etc) there have been too many dropouts to make it worth listening. DSL traffic limits may make this financially impossible as well.
I went looking for a DSL modem today, and could only find a USB modem, which wouldn't allow the use of the Linksys router. Another option was a "DSL router" for $320 at PCU. The salesclerk said it had one in and one out - this doesn't make it a router does it? Or is this another language quirk us Yanks have to learn? (Birds have wings, cars have FENDERS!) Any other suggestions on cheap DSL modems?
I've given some thought to a dedicated linux gateway on a cheap old box, but it's A: more hardware to buy and maintain B: more electricity than the Linksys and C: not wife friendly. A dedicated machine might work for sharing dialup, but including the second phone line, ISP charges, and equipment purchase DSL may only be a little bit more expensive.
Last question (as if): Where I come from (the country that coined the term "collateral damage" and is currently inflicting it) phone cable is four colo(u)rs. I was up in the attic of the house today looking at the mess of phone cable and the colours were different. Sure nuff, the Dicky Smith catalog lists the unfamiliar-looking stuff as "telepermitted". Can anyone explain this term? And what colours go to what terminals on a phone jack? The DS catalog has much handy info in it but not this.
Thanks so much for any help. When Renovation Madness settles down I swear I'll make it to more meetings!
Matt The former Imp-driving Yank www.enginemusic.com
