[ale] BellSouth ADSL

[Gary Maltzen]

ADSL installations typically consist of an ADSL modem that converts the ADSL
line to an ethernet connection.

 ---ADSL---[modem]---ethernet---[known MAC]

What the telco (BS) needs to know is the MAC address of your (one specific)
ethernet NIC connected to their ADSL modem so they can setup their DHCP to
supply an IP to (only) that NIC.

The only reason they prefer to supply you with a NIC and specify the OS is
that it limits the amount of employee training and customer support for the
product.

If you are willing to assume the responsibility supply your own NIC and/or
configure your own system, I would think they would be more than happy to
offload that cost.

Actually, since you *will* need to use IP Masq, you might as well let them
supply a NIC for their side of your system. They probably will be very
unhappy if you just plug it into a hub as you may end up connecting
unauthorized IP addresses to their net.

Generally the telcos are not providing ADSL static IP as they are looking
for 'clients', not 'servers'.

(Incidentally, have they fixed the phones in the Charlotte Douglas lobby so
that they will accept credit cards expiring after Dec 31st?)

-----Original Message-----
 From: David Brooks <dbrooks at trusted.net>



I think I may have asked this before, long ago, but I can't remember exactly
what the response was.  I might be able to ask BellSouth this (assuming I
didnt get a really misinformed/automated reply from them), but I figure this
list is alot speedier. Here's my situation:

1)  I've had it with dialup PPP connections,
2)  A modem connection just isnt very practical for the use my house gets
(with the whole family on the 'net)
3)  I run Linux (d'uh)

Now, on BellSouth's website, they say I need either windows95 or windows98
or Macintosh.  I refuse to believe that ADSL service requires this.  WIll
they still provide me service if I dont run these OS's?  Will Linux (or some
other obscure form of *nix, namely FreeBSD) scare them off?

Next,  I'm assuming they put a NIC in one of my computers, subsequently
leading me to believe that the "ADSL modem" they provide is a seperate
network device.  If I all ready have a NIC in every one of my computers, is
this still necessary, and can this "ADSL modem" hang off my hub?  (ideally)

If this ADSL modem is needed to be connected to one PC directly, is there
any sort of support for it under Linux?  Could I still use IP Masq to give a
connection to all the rest of the PC's in the house? (not-so-ideally,
however still usable)

Second issue - I would prefer a static IP address, because I have my own
domain name and would prefer to host it locally.  Does BellSouth.net provide
this?

Any information would be really helpful -- I'm looking to find another
cheap, higher-speed solution than dial-up pretty soon here.  I appreciate
your time.