Search

[Professor Explode]

I'm thinking of replacing my ADSL modem with one of these .  It's a little box running embedded linux that is supposed to maintain a permanent connection over your ADSL line.  You connect your PC to it via ethernet and the PC gets a dynamic IP address (presumably on a private network) from the  box when you boot it up.  Does anyone else use this kind of thing? The $64,000 question is "What happens when the ADSL line is cut?"  We have a domestic alarm system that doesn't have a DSL filter on it, so when it phones the alarm company, as it will do on a regular basis, the DSL connection will break.  Will this box magically reconnect itself leaving us with seamless internet connectivity? Or do I have to go in and restart it manually each time?  The latter case is kind of useless for me.

Background: We currently have a Thomson Speedtouch 330 USB modem, which came free from our previous ISP. It was OK until we changed ISP and upped the bandwidth of our connection. Now it is, frankly, a piece of shit. Although it is fairly stable under Linux, on Windows it cuts the connection on a regular basis, usually at a most inconvenient time. Apparently, there is an underlying weakness in the VIA KT 600 chipset on the motherboard.

[Dr.Ron]

I use the Zyxel 2602 HWL [http://www.zyxel.com/product/model.php?indexcate=1092966538&indexFlagvalue=1075687935] which is a sexier version of your own choice.  You should be able to have your alarm system and router live happily together, but I think you need to feed the alarm through a central splitter.  Your alarm company should be able to help you there.

The Whirlpool forums [http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/] were very valuable when I has deciding my setup - you may be able to get some info there.

[Dr.Ron]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=444177

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=435354

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=407829

[Professor Explode]

Thank Dr Ron, that's enlightening.  I finally tracked down the web site of my alarm company (which is so secure you can't even find it on google, and you need a password and time-dependent personalized code just to read the FAQ). They basically said "telecoms technology is evolving too fast for us. You'd better talk to us if you want to use any of this new-fangled stuff"

They're not wrong. My phone company has just started offering free international calls, which is extremely attractive. The catch is that you have to use what they call "degroupage total", which involves unplugging the phone cable at the France Telecom end and replacing it with a dedicated DSL connection that uses the entire bandwidth of the phone line instead of just the high frequencies.  Your phone line is then essentially dead for traditional use, but they provide a dedicated modem/router with a few extra functions as well, like the ability to offer TV and telephone over ATM (so in the end I wouldn't have to buy the linksys model).

This is all very nice, but it's even worse news for the alarm system, which would be dependent on the domestic power supply to make that all important "someone is breaking into my fucking house" call to the security company.  Obviously not a very good idea.

[EddieTutones]

I have a westell 1600 DSL modem and I can't for the life of me get any games to play online. I've tried looking up on google how to forard my port but i can't get red alert to work on gamespy. It's driving me crazy, can anyone help me? I'm not even sure what the problem is at this point, i don't have a router so it has to be a firewall issue. im running windows 98 and I swear to god im going to throw my computer out the window.

[Dr.Ron]

Try these links:

http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Westell/Westell6100/Westell6100index.htm

http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Westell/Westell6100/Command_and_Conquer_Generals.htm

The second is for Generals, but should be similar enough.