Re: ADSL USB Modem

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:28:05 +0000, James J. Dines wrote:

Steven Jones wrote:

On Tue, 21 Feb 2006 09:14:16 -0300, Esteban Invernizzi wrote:

Steven Jones wrote:

<snip>

Does this modem not have an Ethernet port? If it does, you'd be far
better off using it, rather than the USB one. If it doesn't, you might
like to consider trading it for one that does. USB modems are a
constant source of pain, and they impose an extra load on your
computer, for with them, your CPU must take care of some of the
processing that your Ethernet card would carry out, had you used such
interface.


The modem doesn't have an Ethernet port, but even if it had, I'm
already using my Ehternet card on a home LAN.

That's not a problem - you just have to get a cheap hub. As a bonus, you
will be able to have Internet access from all the computers in your LAN
simultaneously.


I must be missing something here ... if his *modem* requires USB, not
ethernet, how is a hub going to help?

My apologies; I did not formulate that clearly. My remark just aimed
to clarify that the fact that he's using his Ethernet card for his home
LAN does not imply that he can't use an Ethernet ADSL modem.

You might like to have a chat with your ISP and see if they can give
you with one that has an Ethernet port instead. With my current
provider, the ADSL modem that they supply by default is USB-only. I
told them I'd rather have one with an Ethernet port (besides the USB
port) and they complied with no questions. Maybe yours will do so as
well?

You are already experiencing the inconvenience of a USB modem. First,
you have to build an ad hoc kernel. Second, you'll have to compile a
driver into the kernel, and this driver is "apparently compatible" with
your modem. Well, it might, or might not. Or it might be only partially
compatible. If you use Ethernet instead, you won't have compatibility
problems, and you won't have to touch your kernel.

Do yourself a favor, try and get your provider to give you an ADSL
modem with an Ethernet port.

Good advice. I would only add that if they question you, tell them it
is about performance. If you tell them it is so you can use Linux, they
are likely to come back with: 'we don't support linux.'

Yes - don't give them any excuses to refuse replacing your modem.


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