[Techtalk] ADSL modems

[John Clarke]

On Thu, Sep 23, 2004 at 09:52:46 +1000, Kathryn Andersen wrote:

Hi Kathryn,

> The question I'm wondering about is whether I should buy my own ADSL
> modem or just go with the ones they provide.

The only advantage I can see in buying one from your new ISP is that it
should come properly configured for their service.  The basic ADSL
modems are very simple to configure though -- there's not much to do.

If you get a modem with ethernet (and I recommend you do), you simply
configure your PC to use dhcp for the external interface, and setup the
modem.  I have a dlink dsl-300+ which is very easy to configure:

    http://www.internode.on.net/helpdesk/adsl/dlink-dsl300-plus.htm

and for some other modems/routers:

    http://www.internode.on.net/helpdesk/adsl/index.htm

> A lot of these ADSL modems seem to have built-in routers as well.  Not
> being a network guru, how would that complicate things, to connect a
> router to a router?  Would it make things harder to set up?  It they
> both have NAT, how would I unconfuse things?

Double NAT might cause problems for some protocols (ipsec maybe?), but
I would expect it to mostly work fine.

> Or are there any *simple* ADSL modems which you folk would reccommend?
> (I'm in Australia, so I might not be able to get the latest and
> greatest...)

I've only had my modem lock up and need resetting once, and it's been
fine otherwise.  Harris (http://www.ht.com.au/) have the dsl-302g for
$113.  You might be able to get it cheaper elsewhere, but maybe not. 
Harris aren't as expensive as they once were.

Don't forget the line filters too.  You need either a central splitter
which splits your incoming telephone line into separate voice and data
lines, or one inline splitter for each socket on that line.  You're
supposed to get an Austel-approved technician to install a central
splitter, but the in-line ones you can do yourself.


Cheers,

John
-- 
> I have corresponded with someone who implemented NFS over email.
Sped things up a bit did it?
               -- petro