[olug] [OT] Suggestions on Qwest DSL options

[Phil Brutsche]

First off, we have Qwest at work.

Based on my experiece...

a) Tell them you want the DSL modem in bridge mode right away. That way
you can use a business-class firewall (PIX/ASA, SonicWALL, Netscreen,
whatever), a WRT54GL running DD-WRT, or anything else that strikes your
fancy, as long as it supports PPPoE.

You could use your own router too, but they only support a very small
number of models. Anything else and you're on your own.

We use a WIC-1ADSL+NM-2FE2W in a Cisco 3640. I have sanitized sample
configs for PPPoE+stateful firewall, PPPoA+stateful firewall, and
ethernet<->ATM bridge if you want 'em. You should be able to get a Cisco
837 pretty cheaply; were I in your situation that's the route I would go.

b) If you don't tell them the above they'll send you a consumer device
of some sort that has NAT+stateful firewall turned on.

In my experience, they won't care one iota about multiple computers or
multiple OSes using their 'net connection; they only support Windows &
Mac OS X, and by support I mean they'll help you if you have trouble
with something.

Oh, and I have found that using plain ribbon telephone cables has caused
problems with signal quality - all our problems went away after we put
some RJ11 ends on a standard CAT5 cable. That was on a 30' or so run
from the wall jack.

OBrien, Timothy wrote:
> Having Cox for the last 9 years (at least), and owning my cable modem and
> such; jumping to DSL has me a little uncomfortable. Any
> thoughts/suggestions? Anything I need to be worried about running mutiple
> platforms (Linux/BSD/WinDoz/Mac) behind my own router?

-- 

Phil Brutsche
phil at brutsche.us