cox cable and linux

[Ed Skinner]

     I have to agree with Deepak: buy a Linksys router box.
     My network comes in from Qwest (not Cox) and goes to the Linksys box. 
Everything in the house is on the "inside" of that box. We have a mix of 
Linux and Windows in the house and all the systems work transparently through 
the Linksys router to the outside.
     Several weeks ago the network suffered an outage shortly after a 
lightning strike in the neighborhood. After some checking, it appeared the 
service provider (Qwest) was at fault. I spent two hours on the phone with 
them trying the things they wanted to see done on one of the Windows 
machines. I did not mention Linux. Just Windows and Linksys. They were 
comfortable with that. Later, they asked that the Linksys box be removed and 
the Windows machine put directly onto their wire. I did so and, still, the 
network failed. At that point they agreed to send out a service-person. When 
the service-person arrived, I showed them the Linksys box and the Windows 
machine and gave them free-rein to effect the repair. After an hour of their 
futzing with Windows to no avail, I called a halt when the service-person 
asked if they could re-install Windows. I pointed out there were three 
additional systems in the house that all reported the same problem with the 
network (and that they were running Linux). The guy said, "I guess you'd like 
me to replace my box now to see if that helps?" I said, "Yes". He did and the 
network started working.
     If I'd had a Linux box in the loop from the beginning, I am sure the 
repair would've taken even longer. The Linksys box has been sitting up in the 
corner of the laundry room cupboard for about two years happily sloshing 
packets back and forth.
     I'm sold.


On Wednesday 08 January 2003 10:00 am, Deepak Saxena wrote:
> Go buy a linksys router box. Seriously.  I know people will go off
> about how using a dedicated linux box is a better, but IMHO I don't
> agree. A Linksys box takes up a _lot_ less space than a dedicated machine,
> requires almost no power, etc.  Also, what happens if for some reason
> you need to take the Linux router down for an upgrade or if the disk
> creashes while someone else at home wants to use the web? SOL. The
> Linksys has no mechanical parts and is much less prone to HW errors
> then a Linux box. Management is also lot simpler IMHO.
>
> ~Deepak

-- 
Ed Skinner, ed@flat5.net, http://www.flat5.net/