[plug] ADSL: Hardware Gateways vs Linux

[Chris Caston]

On Mon, 2004-07-05 at 16:54, Trevor Phillips wrote:
> On Monday 05 July 2004 14:08, Bill Kenworthy wrote:
> > 
> > I would use it again (but not a netcom product), esp. for inexperienced
> > home users, but I'll stick to my own builds for myself, and I think most
> > "geek" users would say the same.
> 
> As a Geek with little free time, though, there's appeal in a little gadget box 
> which does all the cool tech for me. ^_^
> 

Don't we all :)
> On Monday 05 July 2004 14:37, Chris Caston wrote:
> >
> > ADSL modems are getting more and more sophisticated with QoS, IP
> > throttling, VPN client/server, dns-dyns, more advanced firewalls,
> > virtual servers etc.
> 
> Which makes shopping for them all the more difficult. ^_^
> 

Decide what you want now and anticipate what you will want 1 year from
now. If for instance you want to use VOIP go for something with QoS.
You can always buy another adsl modem later if you wish. They don't
break the bank. I've gone though 3 ADSL modems so far this year.


> > Be careful with these. I've been having serious problems with the
> > wireless component of the Billion 7402w. It may be better to get a
> > separate access point. When the whole product is the wireless access
> > point they are going to put more effort into making it good than if the
> > wireless is just a "feature" of an adsl modem.
> 
> Any recommendations on an inexpensive stand-alone WAP then? I did consider 
> getting that separately - the main appeal of an all-in-one is cost-savings.
> 

Same. I'm still trying to work out which is the best to get for a
customer of mine on a budget.

> > Much less when going through walls. You may need a repeater or even just
> > run some cable. It's not that hard. In fact it's far easier to install
> > sockets than it is to crimp cable.
> 
> Errr, I've well and truly cabled my house. ^_^
> Although, given the amount of sockets I've wired & cables I've crimped, I 
> think crimping's a little easier, mainly due to some of the cramped quarters 
> (and heights off the ground) I had to wield that Krone tool in... Ugh...
> 

OK. I'm skinny as a rake and swear that I could have been a chimney
sweeper in a past life, and I have near perfect vision in the dark, so I
live running cables.

What I mean is using the punch tool to put the wires on the sockets is
much easier than crimping.

> I'd like to try Wireless with my PDA tho - walking around with a PDA with a 
> Cat-5 trailing behind it isn't so portable & convenient.
> 

Yeah I hear you. I'd love to sit on the Jetty out the back fishing and
surfing the web from an old laptop running an LTSP client.

> My first idea was to have a separate Wireless WAP, stick it in the family room 
> in a central location - but that would be out in the open, and consume a 
> valuable wall-socket during LAN parties. Wireless hidden in the study would 
> be neater - if the range is there... Of course, if a dedicated WAP has better 
> range, then I *could* stick the WAP in the Study too...

Perhaps. It also depends a lot about interference in your area such as
cordless phones, microwaves, large metal objects.

> An interesting "feature" of the Netcomm which WestNet lists is it has a 
> removable aerial with connector - Implies a cable can be run to put an aerial 
> elsewhere.
> 
> As a side to Wireless & Walls - the walls are brick, but the roof is Colorbond 
> - would that affect Wireless coverage inside at all?

The strangest thing is I missed a call from someone roday asking me if
they could do work experience with me involving "home networking"... it
wasn't anyone on this list was it?