[techtalk] Cable Modem Issues

[Julia Frizzell]

> > You should read your agreement carefully.. Some cable-modem plans limit
> > bandwith to something like 100kbps (which IMO makes it not worth it),
> > and/or say you're not allowed to run "servers".
>
>I think it's gonna depend on the area that you're living in.  If you're
>in a heavily populated area, the cable company will probably limit
>your bandwidth.  I don't know about MediaOne but I know that @Home does
>not allow people to run servers.

In the past, when I checked their FAQ, it said that you could have 
multiple computers set up via a LAN. I decided to go back and check 
today, and it doesn't have it listed in the FAQ, but in the service 
agreement, it states that they will hook up a computer outside of a 
home LAN, then you can connect it to the home LAN afterwards, and 
they will provide no support for your LAN. It also says it must be 
used for residential purposes, only. Which is fine. :)

I live in Fall River, MA, by the way. And believe me, even 100kbps 
will be faster than trying to share my 56k connection using Windows98 
Second Edition Internet Connection Sharing.

> > Also, what a cable modem does is make things look like ethernet.
> > Basically what ethernet is is a bunch of computers connected to one
> > "wire", so any computer on the same ethernet can see anything that the
> > other computers send or receive (Unless the cable modem acts like a
> > switch).  Which means you should be using encryption whenever you're
> > sending anything you don't want random people finding out (Which is a
> > good idea in any case, but more so when ethernet makes things
> > easier...).  In general, when you're switching from being on a dialup to
> > always being connected to a high speed link you have to be more careful
> > about security stuff...

I'm aware of that much about the cable modems, which is actually why 
I want to use the Linux box as a firewall between the rest of my 
computers and the big world out there. :)

>Here's a good explanation of what a cablemodem does and how to protect
>yourself while using it, as well as a comparison(although kind of
>biased view =)of DSL lines.
>
>http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/1999/09/23/cable_dsl/index.html

I would get DSL if it was available in my area! <sigh>

Of course, in reading through the agreement, they only specify 
Windows and Mac OS's as the ones they support. <sigh> I'll have to 
see if they'll even connect to a Linux box.

So, no one has any advice on the setting up a server bit?

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Julia Frizzell                        http://www.netspace.org/~glyneth
julia_frizzell at brown.edu                   http://www.theblackroad.org
glyneth at netspace.org                                      ICQ: 8458071
"If I had $1,000,000, I'd be rich."  Barenaked Ladies, $1,000,000

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