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Forum: Geek Forum
Topic: FastAccess
started by: Spydir

Posted by Spydir on Apr. 29 2001,21:53

I'll be getting FastAccess pretty soon (only DSL avaible to my neighborhood, and both me and my dad agree that we don't want cable), and it seems like we *have* to have it run through a windows box. Now, me and dad figured it's best to have my computer handle things, but I'd prefer to have my linux box handling things, because I already have it setup exactly how it should be (with the exception for changing... 4 things, maybe 5) to handle things to best serve the whole family. My dad doesn't really argue with that, enspecially after I said "I'll put it like this: I already have everything setup for *FREE* on the linux computer, and to get things setup to best serve you, mom, and katie (sister), it would cost atleast 50 bucks for software and a few hours of setting things up".

So here's the thing. The modem you get with FastAccess seems to require a windows box, but it says on the page you need a USB port or a NIC card, so I figure I might be able to just replace my modem (in linux box) with some cheap NIC card, buy a bunch more RJ-45 CAT5's, and run some cable around the house and we're fine. Is this the case or is there special software and crap that it'll need that only works on windows?

if anyone has experience with this, please, please, PLEASE help me out! I really want everything work to optimal status so I can frag the shit outta people in Quake3 and totally kickass!!

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Net Syndrome - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/ >
Spydir Web - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/spydirweb/ >

Posted by Spydir on Apr. 29 2001,22:02

I forgot some stuff. I got my linux box setup with IP masq (thanks kl1nk for that extra help, btw

) so my windows box can connect to the 'net, and they're using a 10BaseT 4 port hub. With a good half hour talk, I could probably get dad to buy a faster 10/100 switch hub and probably a wireless base point, but I wouldn't be shocked if he just goes for a 8 port switch. I could just use the 192.168.0. class c set for the house, or if we get a few extra IP's I'll use those.

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Net Syndrome - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/ >
Spydir Web - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/spydirweb/ >

Posted by Jynx on Apr. 29 2001,22:17

As long as you have the connectivity info--IP and/or DNS addresses, host/domain, etc, the software shouldn't matter--after all, it's just a protocol. However, unless you're sharing files on all of your home machines, I wouldn't waste money on the 10/100 switch--after all, there is NO WAY that you're gonna be getting even 1 Mbit across your DSL, let alone more than 10.

Here's what I would do--install the software on a Windows box, and see what settings it takes (might even want to check to see if it changes computer name/workgroup). Then, just replicate the TCP/IP settings onto your Linux box, and you should be good to go.

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--Jynx

I used to be a kleptomaniac, but then I took something for it.

Posted by Sithiee on Apr. 29 2001,23:20

whats wrong with cable?

Posted by aventari on Apr. 29 2001,23:40

You'll need 2 NICs in your linux box and a 20 dollar 10 Mbit hub. thats all. Like Jnyx said, you don't need 100Mbit for your house, and you certainly don't need a switch.

If you've got a lot of cat5 to run, you should probably invest in a pair of 20 dollar cable crimpers and a 50' spool of cat5 cable. They're way easy to make, and you get royally screwed when buying pre-made cables.

You just have to setup the outside network (cable/dsl) on one NIC (eth0 probably) and then your class c home network on the other NIC (eth1), 192.168.1.x . Then you set up ip masq and ip forwarding and ipchains for an easy firewall.

BTW cable 0wnz dsl

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You are what you drive
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Acura NSX: I am impotent.

Posted by Sithiee on Apr. 29 2001,23:40

oh yeah, btw, theyre a pain in the ass, but you could consider a cable/dsl router....i have one, and it kinda blows, but its easier than trying to set up a server.

Posted by Spydir on Apr. 30 2001,00:38

Jynx - I know the wholw switch thing isn't nessary, but I just want one and I could probably talk dad into getting one, blah

. The whole install and just get the info thing makes sense, I'll just wait and find out.

Sithiee - one of our old neighbor's has it, and when he printed something to his network printer, it printed to his neighbor's house... plus I'd prefer the better pings in gaming, and my dad's company (TeleTech) has something to do with DSL and all that, so once we get it we could probably get some "special upgrades" or something... I was also thinking about one of those routers, because of some "plans" I have for our home network and stuff

aventari - my dad has done built some cat5's, so we could easily do that.

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Net Syndrome - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/ >
Spydir Web - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/spydirweb/ >

Posted by Sithiee on Apr. 30 2001,00:44

thats why you use the router, makes everything you do on an internal network, so you wont print to neighbors houses, and the pings from cable in my area are far superior to dsl. then factor in the fact that cable rarely goes down, whereas most of my friends with dsl are always getting knocked off..i think cable wins.

Posted by ASCIIMan on Apr. 30 2001,00:51

I have one of < these >. It works great. Ping times are barely affected at all. Never had any problems with it (DSL line goes down all the time, it never has). It even has a console interface so you can program custom filters.

Posted by cr0bar on Apr. 30 2001,02:17

Both cable and DSL are plagued with speed and latency problems. Don't believe the hype. Someone selling DSL will tell you bad things about cable (shared bandwidth, security issues, etc). Someone selling cable will tell you bad things about DSL (surprise, shared bandwidth, security issues).

While a 10mbit half-duplex hub will share your net connection fine, there's nothing like a 100mbit full-duplex switch for file transfers. I keep all my mp3s on my FreeBSD box, mounted under Windows using Samba.

Posted by Sithiee on Apr. 30 2001,08:21

yeah, if your gonna get a router, dont use linksys. my dad decided it would be a great idea to save 10 dollars and use the linksys, because if it broke, i could fix it. 10 dollars so that i can do a whole lot of work i wouldnt have to do if he had bought a decent router. why did he bother asking me if he was just gonna tell me i was wrong??

Posted by Spydir on Apr. 30 2001,16:52

quote:
Originally posted by cr0bar:
Both cable and DSL are plagued with speed and latency problems. Don't believe the hype. Someone selling DSL will tell you bad things about cable (shared bandwidth, security issues, etc). Someone selling cable will tell you bad things about DSL (surprise, shared bandwidth, security issues).
While a 10mbit half-duplex hub will share your net connection fine, there's nothing like a 100mbit full-duplex switch for file transfers. I keep all my mp3s on my FreeBSD box, mounted under Windows using Samba.

yeah, I know the whole both sucks thing, but I'd just prefer the DSL over cable for some super odd reason... I'm also planning on doing filesharing between my two computers, so the switch is a good idea all around.

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Net Syndrome - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/ >
Spydir Web - < http://www.netsyndrome.net/spydirweb/ >

Posted by CatKnight on May 01 2001,06:01

<---

Posted by askheaves on May 01 2001,06:13

I don't have a phone line anymore (because I was under the impression that I didn't need one)... so I can't even use dialup anymore.

No more internet at home for me until I figure out some damn solution.

Posted by Observer on May 01 2001,10:53

Call up Sprint. They could probably advise you on how to deal with that. After all, if they help you get it set up, they have another source of revenue. There are probably regular tv antennas up there, right?

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A good programmer is someone who looks both ways on a one-way street

Posted by askheaves on May 01 2001,17:28

Just one element of my bad day:

I got a call this morning at work from my apartment manager. She left a message telling me that I can't have my Sprint Broadband dish on the roof anymore because it's too much of a liability. I didn't return the call.

God damnit. I've got a 1 year contract that I haven't even payed the first month on. Plus, I payed for the damn dish. Now, I have to find some sort of alternative, like putting it on a pole on my balcony... which doesn't have the line-of-sight i need very easily.

They offered to let me move into a different building in the complex with a better view... I don't want to move all my shit for this. What a pain in the ass.

Fuck me. I don't like Tuesday May 1, 2001.