Re: DSL not recognizing the modem...what else is new?

On 08/06/2010 11:33, RayLopez99 wrote:
On Jun 8, 2:12 am, David Brown
<david.br...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

But keep in mind the target user is:

1) a cheapskate. She has a Pentium II (slightly older than 1997, but
not by much, and with more RAM, I think 512 MB)

The Pentium II came out in 1997, so it can't be much older than that!

If you are sure about the 512 MB, then you can install a more complete
distro that is much easier to use than the cut-down memory-limited
distros you have been trying. I would recommend something like Lunbuntu
as a Ubuntu variant with a light desktop, but you will probably find
standard Ubuntu works fine as long as you turn off desktop effects (the
effects look nice, but will be very slow on such a machine).

Much easier to use you say--but why bother? Again the target user
will simply do two things: turn on the machine (log on, etc) then
click on the Firefox icon and surf the net, doing all things she does
online. Then she'll shut down the machine. Hopefully, unlike the
present setup she has with Windows, she'll not shut down the machine
by turning off the power (!), but gracefully.


You can drive to the supermarket in an old rust-bucket, or you can use a shiny new car. Both will get you there. But if the price is the same, why would you choose the rust-bucket?


You could also try the LXDE version of Linux Mint. The final version
for Mint 9 is not out yet, but the release candidate is probably fine:

<http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=60>

Mint is like Ubuntu, but with a bit more pre-installed audio and video
codecs, and a greener theme.

She don't need codecs, unless it interferes with online
functionality. Can you bank-by-wire (online banking) without codecs?
Then she don't need them. Do Google Apps (I don't know if you need
anything but Java for this)? Log into Yahoo email? Go to a generic
'coupon clipping' greengrocer site and print coupons for weekly
specials? Now once in a while she visits TMZ fan site for celebrity
gossip--I guess you would need codecs for that, but frankly, I don't
think even the loss of sound is a big deal to this girl. She claims
she doesn't need this celebrity gossip (since she gets it on TV
anyway).


Mint will make it easier to use Java, Flash, embedded video, etc., in the browser.


Other than that, the only difficulty with ADSL is if the ISP is silly
enough to use PPoE or PPoA rather than a straight Ethernet connection.
If that's the case, you need to log into your router's web-based
configuration and enter the username and password from your ISP. The
information you get from your ISP should tell you if you need this or not.

I do recall having to log onto something or another with OTE (the
Greek national telephone carrier I'm using now for ADSL). But for now
the Asus switch downstream of the Speedtouch ADSL modem is working
with the Windows PC transparently. If and when I get the Linux box
hooked up, I'll find out.

BTW I did learn something from this post of yours--that ADSL is ATM
based (did not know that) and about PPoE and PPoA (which simulate dial-
up). http://www.dslreports.com/faq/1416 Any other info on ADSL's
protocols appreciated...I just read the link above.


ADSL is not ATM based. But some ISPs still like to think of the users as though they were dial-up, and thus use PPoE or PPoA encapsulation over the ADSL line. It's a stupid idea that wastes bandwidth (about 10% of the line capacity) and makes configuration and setup inconvenient, but apparently some ISPs like it. Where possible, it is best to pick an ISP that gives you a direct Ethernet connection - then installation really is a no-brainer.

RL



Since you have your ADSL router working with windows, you either don't
need such a setup or you have already configured it - but you might have
to be aware of this when setting up a new ADSL modem.

Thanks for your help I suppose. If I can get Linux to work I might
reconsider all the harsh words I've spoken about it (and its users)
over the years. If.

RL


.

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