[plug] ADSL: Hardware Gateways vs Linux

[Michael]

On Mon, 5 Jul 2004, Trevor Phillips wrote:

> 
> I'm preparing to take the ADSL plunge (FINALLY), and have started looking at 
> what ADSL Modems and variants thereof are available. In particular, since 
> I'll probably sign up with Westnet, I've been looking at what hardware they 
> offer:
>    http://www.westnet.com.au/products/broadband/adsl/hardware.shtm
> 
> First up - how do these ADSL Hardware routers compare to a Linux Box for 
> firewall & NAT support? I'm guessing that Linux has the advantage of being 
> fully customisable, upgradeable, & patchable, but how much advantage (if any) 
> is that compared to a dedicated hardware solution? I could go with a simple 
> ADSL Modem, whack a second net card in the Linux server (current dial-up 
> server - really needs some maintenance done on config tho), or I could go 
> with one of the ones with 4-port, and demote my Linux server to a file/web 
> server.
> 
> The other consideration is whether to take the opportunity to take the plunge 
> into Wireless, and get an ADSL Modem which also doubles as a Wireless Access 
> Point. The main concern is if the range will stretch from the study at one 
> end of the house, through multiple walls to the other end of the house. How's 
> the range on these sort of SOHO products?
> 
> Lastly - what are the Netcomm's like which Westnet offer? (See above link). 
> The PDF brochures all read rather well, but then, not having networking as a 
> specialty field, a lot of the acronyms go over my head. ^_^ (Although the 
> spec sheet for the Netcomm 5580W wireless one reads a lot like a Linux 
> feature-set. Anyone know if it's really an embedded linux device?)
> 
> Any other gotcha's or advice on hardware and configuration?

IMHO, you just can't go wrong with Linux and an ADSL modem. My job is tech 
support and alot of that is with ADSL. As something I've generally found, 
all ADSL routers lock up at some time or another. The single exception 
I've found is Cisco. I have seen almost everything else fall over.

I myself have an ADSL modem and Linux connecting and doing NAT etc, and 
this never fails, its always there. Then again, people tell me that 
Webexcel routers are great, so all of this is really just my opinion.

Regards
Michael Collard