Broadband probs/ dial tone

[Jim Roper]

The Netgear 834 seems to be working OK, but I have just built up a new computer to connect it too, so that could help!

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

Cory - interesting - we have had a play with Smoothwall at work and it looked pretty good (I am the IT manager at a local company, and cut my hours back to work until lunchtime with computers and run my tackle shop in the afternoons!).

 

Whilst I know what you mean about USB modems, I ran an intel jobbie for quite a while (from BT) without too much trouble. In truth that was using a Win2k box and Comsocks as a proxy, and the machine itself did little else, but it did work. The US robotics modem is a bit quicker, and certainly less resource hungry, but more importantly saves me running the proxy, so it's altogether a bit tidier.

[Jim Roper]

Well, all I can say is that my connection has not been lost since installing the Netgear 834DG and the speed is c25% faster that the Speedtouch modem(no wonder they give them away free with the connection).

[corydoras]

Cory - interesting - we have had a play with Smoothwall at work and it looked pretty good (I am the IT manager at a local company, and cut my hours back to work until lunchtime with computers and run my tackle shop in the afternoons!).

 

Whilst I know what you mean about USB modems, I ran an intel jobbie for quite a while (from BT) without too much trouble. In truth that was using a Win2k box and Comsocks as a proxy, and the machine itself did little else, but it did work. The US robotics modem is a bit quicker, and certainly less resource hungry, but more importantly saves me running the proxy, so it's altogether a bit tidier.

Far be it for me to critcise another IT professional in a public forum, but this is hardly an enterprise solution. Of course, neither is the free version of Smoothwall. I am sure that you would see a significant performance increase by installing a proper ADSL router, whether you stick with Win2k/Comsocks or Smoothwall. Smoothwall can run as a proxy and can be configured as transparent proxy.

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

Sorry - The US Robotics effort is a router - although certainly not enterprise level - but a considerable improvement over a USB modem.

 

However, I am currently still putting the internet through an http proxy using comsocks to the network clients - mainly because it keeps my logs on users internet access activity etc, which the router (being a basic ish model) doesn't, and secondly because we do run VPOP in house for our email distribution, which is on the same machine, and it is easier for my management to have the email/web server all configurable from a single pc.

 

We are not looking for bill gates solutions - we are serving less than thirty pcs!

Edited March 15, 2006 by UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk

[corydoras]

Sorry - The US Robotics effort is a router - although certainly not enterprise level - but a considerable improvement over a USB modem.

 

However, I am currently still putting the internet through an http proxy using comsocks to the network clients - mainly because it keeps my logs on users internet access activity etc, which the router (being a basic ish model) doesn't, and secondly because we do run VPOP in house for our email distribution, which is on the same machine, and it is easier for my management to have the email/web server all configurable from a single pc.

 

We are not looking for bill gates solutions - we are serving less than thirty pcs!

What do you use as a file and print server?

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

Printer server and database - Win2k - however I am in the process of migrating bits of the databases from the proprietory software (which uses a slightly bastardised version of DBASE IV files) over to Mysql - so then it can run on Linux. We do have a mandrake box which is used as a general dumping ground, but it is definitely in need of some organisation. I've only been there 18 months and we were busy from the off, so these things are taking some time!

 

I quite like the CUPS printing system in mandrake and might look one day at moving that over.

 

At the same time I am experimenting with Exchange for Linux as a potential way to enable us to have a bit more of a collaboration type system rather than just plain email - that's definitely a bit clunky, but it might have potential.

 

My main role is VB programming though and I've a years worth of work in front of me already, so the infastructure (which is pretty solid/reliable, if not awe inspiring) pretty much only gets attention on bad days when I cannot bring myself to look at code!

Edited March 16, 2006 by UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk