Question for DSL users

[Deja Q]

Well, I've got my LAN reconfigured with my new router/firewall/DHCP/switch/VPN device and boy is it sweet! But the thing will release the DHCP-assigned address leases after only 3 days, :eyes:, so I'm going to have to find how to change that... anyway, my new DSL modem is external. It's got 4 ethernet connections and a USB connection.

Do I need to use the USB connection at all? Why can't I plug the modem into my firewall/router/DCHP/switch/VPN device via one of its four ethernet ports and be done with it? The router/firewall/switch/DHCP device has got a separate port specially for a DSL/cable modem connection... I don't see why USB is necessary at all unless it's going directly into one PC that has no NIC... I hate having to add extra hardware into the computer, even if it is a Linux box...

Thanks!

[SheepyMcSheepster]

1. i don't think you need to change anything with your dhcp

after the three days is up you computer will ask the router for a new ip address and the router should give it to him (and it will most likely be the same adress again). if that is not what you want you could assign your computer a static ip address.

as for the dsl modem/usb thing, you should be able to just plug into the ethernet port.

[Deja Q]

4. Thanks!

Well, I like knowing which computers use which IP address. Maybe I'm just used to connecting via IP address than DNS or Windows' computer name...

True, with 3 computers, it's fairly likely that the numbering will be the same and never get altered... still, I don't like surprises. :D

Now that I'm thinking about it, it's a minor pedantic quibble. I don't need hardwired addresses, I'm not connecting to any other LAN that has me specially assigned...

I did assign everything initially by static value. But that's boring and I may as well take advantage of every feature this router's got... of course, if it ever breaks then I'll have to re-assign everything to their original static values, but that's okay I guess...

It'll be great though, not having to diddle with USB. Blech. It's now all plug'n'play at this point. Hurry up Friday 13th!

Also adds to my confidence, so I will go take the Network+ certification... :-)

[CrownPrinceBandar]

2. I use my ethernet connection exclusively.

My modem has USB as well. But I only have a firewall and a proxy between me and the outside world. I love DSL. I came from 4 years of dial-up and what a diff. This spring I may switch to cable as its not much more expensive.

[Deja Q]

5. Be careful

Comcast, when I checked them out, is $42.95 for basic service (if you're a current customer, namely because they have to give you basic tv cable service in order to give you the internet line, non-customers pay $54, which just happens to be $12 more, which is the cost of their basic service... no savings there...), $3 for leasing a modem which isn't bad, but add another $20 regardless if you own or lease a modem just to use the bloody thing on their network. I think there's another $10 fee in there somewhere, as I recall the total monthly fee being a disgusting $78.

Better check to see if they have a firewall to hide everybody else on the same segment, otherwise you could snoop your neighborhood's computers and likely not get caught...

Also, if everybody on your segment is using the cable connection, expect performance to go down. While 2Mb sounds nice on the surface, it's not going to be consistent, especially if your neighborhood has got a lot of people the cable company services...

Dunno. DSL ultimately costs more for higher speeds (>640k) than cable, but the speed is consistent and per-user rather than per-segment. That's a fair tradeoff if you ask me. The only condition is making sure you're close enough to a point-of-presence hub or else DSL speed becomes pointless after 3 miles...

[Pobeka]

3. Linux renews the DHCP lease every 3 hours

At least on redhat it does.

I'm on a cable modem, with the same IP address now for almost a year because of that default behaviour.

[Pale_Rider]

6. Probably the USB connection ...

... is for configuration through a PC. Most router combos can be configured via a browser. I have one on my wireless access point that I used for the initial setup. Now its unused as I can configure it over the network.

Strange that the DSL modem (not to be confused with the router) should have four ethernet ports. Most that I'e seen only have one port that is used to connect to the router.

Constantly renewing DHCP leases can be a pain if the IP addresses are constantly changing between hosts on a network. Unless you have built a local DNS, changing the host file on a number of systems can be a real pain. If you never power-off your systems then the 3-day renewal should be fine. Typically half-way through the least, the client (PC) will ask for a renewal of the lease and should get it (with the same IP). Power-off for a day or so and upon power-up the DHCP server might allocate a new IP address.

There should be a setting in the router's configuration where you can increase the lease period. Set it something like 60 or 90 days or so a PC could be off for something like a month or so without getting a new IP address.