[NTLUG:Discuss] New to this area

[Steve]

Ali Naddaf wrote:

> Hello everyone.
> I just moved to Dallas from Michigan. We had a LINUX group in Washtenaw-Ann
> Arbor with monthly meeting and it was great. Here is my question: I am
> looking for a fast internet connection, either Cable modem or DSL. I live in
> zip code 75252 (coit and Frankford), and obviously I am running Linux. So
> does anyone have any suggestion? Which provider would you suggest?
>

Perhaps you'd like my perspective first before jumping ahead.


You will notice from www.egbert.net that I use cable modem at home
and yet work for a DSL modem company.

I get no ridicule from within my workplace.  The decision is primaryly
an economic versus performance issue.

With cable modem, I'm basically gambling on three facts and resigned on
the fourth fact:

1.  I get a better throughput with 456 Kbps upstream / 1.5 Mbps
downstream on a good day and maybe 56 Kbps upstream on a bad day.  All
this for $48 /month after taxes.  Try to compare this with
ADSL 56Kbps/1.5Mbps for $49 a month but no static IP (this is a dynamic
connect whenever there is traffic and is unsuitable for servers).  Any
other DSL services will cost more (alot more).

2.  I use Alan Cox's Traffic Shaper (comes with RedHat 6.0) to suppress
upstream traffic to an artificial low 64Kbps as not to upset my
neighbors.  I'm just being a good neighbor.  My webserver is a low
traffic personal-type Apache 1.3.6.  I serve less than 1Mb/month.  This
is MUCH lower offending profile than the typical high-school kid using
@Home ripping multi-megabytes MP3 files per minutes via FTP upstream.

3.  I block any port scan attempts by 24.0.x.x or by domain name
(home.net, tci.com, tci.net) to keep my profile even lower using
ipchains.

4.  Worst of all, I'm 22,000 feet away from the CO and am NOT eligble
for ADSL (until ADSL G.Lite becomes available in Sept/Oct).  This alone
is the primary reason for reluctant semi-non-compliance with AUP.

If you got money to burn, go with ADSL's highest rate.  If you're a tightwad
AND have no desire to run any servers, then its cable modem.


I hope this answers your questions.

--
Steve Egbert                      Skytel: 888-463-7343
Software Engineering                 FAX: 972-991-3887
Efficient Networks, Inc.          http://www.efficient.com
"These are people who work on Linux and other weird Unix
variations." -- Mike Nichols, V.P. Microsoft Corporation