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Tim Green timothy.j.green@gmail.com wrote:
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Do not use BT as your broadband ISP! I'd still recommend Eclipse over them. BT will monkey with the exchange, and you sign up with an ISP and install the micro-filters and the ADSL modem (they all plug into obvious phone style sockets so you shouldn't need an engineer to visit your house, unless like me you need the ISDN taken out first).
I'll go along with the not using BT thing, too... In my experience, at the end of a support line, BT ADSL customers have a small nightmare getting through to anyone that has even a slight clue of what's going on. I'd suggest Black Cat Networks (http://www.blackcatnetworks.co.uk/) as an ISP, I've been using them as the ISP for my home and for my dads for the last few months with very very few issues, and timely announce e-mails on the announce list explaining what the problems where when there are any, and any maintainance that they know of. They're not the cheapest option, but it is 'uncapped' ADSL, which is handy.
Many other ISPs will provide free hardware (eg. PlusNet have a special offer on at the minute) but forking out £40-80 for your own shouldn't break the bank.
Hmm, Work is on the end of a PlusNet line. I have not been at *all* impressed by PlusNet so far.
I suspect BT will try to palm you off with a USB based modem. I suggest in the strongest terms getting ethernet because then you will not be limited by USB drivers nor will you be limited to any particular OS.
I believe BT are now shipping Ethernet speedtouch modems, but I could be wrong.
When I signed up with Eclipse last year I went for the Alcatal Thompson SpeedTouch 530 they offered - it has both USB and ethernet. I configured it through the ethernet port with Firefox in Linux and I have not noticed any trouble with it.
I forked out a few more quid and got a Netgear DG834G, I know that a few other ALUGers out there also have this ikkle router, it's not bad.
Thanks, - -- Brett Parker web: http://www.sommitrealweird.co.uk/ email: iDunno@sommitrealweird.co.uk