DSL Modem Woes
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From: Paul on 26 Feb 2006 16:11 In article <jtnMf.7849$Pv1.121(a)bignews6.bellsouth.net>, John McGaw <nobody(a)nowh.ere> wrote: > Grinder wrote: > > I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a > > Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an > > Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. > > That's were the problem comes in. > > > snip... > > It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to > attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever was > one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was made > for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one can > sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of way by > installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its shortcomings > but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, drivers, and other > trash from the startup disk and go back to the Ethernet connection where > nothing extra is required. Apparently you can run two users off the 5200, without a router. That is why you would want the USB to work. Paul
From: John McGaw on 26 Feb 2006 16:31 Paul wrote: > In article <jtnMf.7849$Pv1.121(a)bignews6.bellsouth.net>, John McGaw > <nobody(a)nowh.ere> wrote: > >> Grinder wrote: >>> I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a >>> Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an >>> Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. >>> That's were the problem comes in. >>> >> snip... >> >> It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to >> attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever was >> one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was made >> for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one can >> sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of way by >> installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its shortcomings >> but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, drivers, and other >> trash from the startup disk and go back to the Ethernet connection where >> nothing extra is required. > > Apparently you can run two users off the 5200, without a router. > That is why you would want the USB to work. > > Paul Yes, but one might also very easily get by adding another Ethernet port to the computer for literally a few $ and turning on ICS in XP. Assuming that one's time is worth only a little bit of money per hour skipping the annoyance and problems of the USB connection by adding a cheap Ethernet card to the system is probably worthwhile. Of course adding a cheap router/hub/switch is almost always the best way to go if sharing is truly the aim. And if one's Speedstream is of the proper sort it is often possible to enable its internal router if the ISP has crippled it so that only a hub/switch are needed. http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/84 -- John McGaw [Knoxville, TN, USA] http://johnmcgaw.com
From: Grinder on 26 Feb 2006 22:53 John McGaw wrote: > Grinder wrote: > >> I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a >> Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an >> Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. >> That's were the problem comes in. >> > snip... > > It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to > attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever was > one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was made > for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one can > sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of way by > installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its shortcomings > but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, drivers, and other > trash from the startup disk and go back to the Ethernet connection where > nothing extra is required. We're wanting to use the ethernet port on the PC for a crossover connection to his PS2. Budget is a primary consideration, so even $40 for a gateway router is not feasible.
From: John McGaw on 27 Feb 2006 07:11 Grinder wrote: > John McGaw wrote: >> Grinder wrote: >> >>> I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of >>> a Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an >>> Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. >>> That's were the problem comes in. >>> >> snip... >> >> It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to >> attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever >> was one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was >> made for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one >> can sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of >> way by installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its >> shortcomings but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, >> drivers, and other trash from the startup disk and go back to the >> Ethernet connection where nothing extra is required. > > We're wanting to use the ethernet port on the PC for a crossover > connection to his PS2. Budget is a primary consideration, so even $40 > for a gateway router is not feasible. > > Two things: 1) all you really need is a cheap Ethernet card to use with ICS and that might be as little as $5. 2) It is entirely possible that your modem already has a router built into it. I posted a link to an article about that subject in a reply to Paul. If so, then all you need is a cheap hub/switch and those are sometimes <$20 if you hit the sales at the right time. -- John McGaw [Knoxville, TN, USA] http://johnmcgaw.com
From: kony on 27 Feb 2006 13:33
On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 03:53:52 GMT, Grinder <grinder(a)no.spam.maam.com> wrote: >John McGaw wrote: >> Grinder wrote: >> >>> I friend has broadband internet provided by Frontier, in the form of a >>> Speedstream 5200 modem. It is connected to his single PC via an >>> Ethernet cable, but we have cause to switch to using an USB cable. >>> That's were the problem comes in. >>> >> snip... >> >> It is hard to imagine what sort of "cause" would motivate anyone to >> attempt to use USB, a definite non-network connection if there ever was >> one, in place of an already-working Ethernet connection which was made >> for such tasks and which handles them so gracefully. Sure, one can >> sometimes get USB to work with a modem in a half-assed sort of way by >> installing all manner of intrusive software to cover its shortcomings >> but why bother? Simply uninstall all the software, drivers, and other >> trash from the startup disk and go back to the Ethernet connection where >> nothing extra is required. > >We're wanting to use the ethernet port on the PC for a crossover >connection to his PS2. Budget is a primary consideration, so even $40 >for a gateway router is not feasible. > how about $15? http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=298420&pfp=cat3 It's well worth $15 to avoid USB and be behind a router. |