[Techtalk] ADSL modems

[Elwing]

Kathryn Andersen wrote:
> The question I'm wondering about is whether I should buy my own ADSL
> modem or just go with the ones they provide.
> Pro: a provided modem will probably have the right settings all pre-done
> Con: it might more expensive than getting the same one elsewhere
> Con: the modems I've looked at by the provider on the top of my list
> look as if they're more than I need, because *I already have a router*
> of my own (yes, I did end up getting the wireless router I was querying
> about earlier, and managed to set up the wireless network with my laptop
> without too much difficulty...)

I'm not sure about in Australia, but in the US, you pretty much have to 
use the modem provided by the ISP/vendor.  Fortunately, most have them 
for "free" after rebate.  I say this because there are several ADSL 
standards: ADSL, ADSL "lite", ADSL2, and ADSL2+.  *Most* of the new 
standards are backwards compatible, but ADSL "lite" (aka G.lite) was 
more of a bandaid on ADSL and it's not terribly compatible with the 
other standards.

> 
> 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?

The newer ones here in the US do as well, but you can configure them to 
act as a dumb bridge (read the manual or ask your ISP for how). 
Sometimes, the ISP will dumb it down for you before they ship it, 
sometimes not.  Mine have all had a console port (serial) and I could 
use my laptop and minicom and login to change the configuration.

Laura



Some more information on DSL standards:
[2] http://www.techonline.com/community/related_content/20046
[3] http://www.xchangemag.com/articles/341infra3.html
[4] http://www.lsilogic.com/technologies/industry_standards/adsl2_.html