Re: ISDN vs ADSL

["Patrick Lidstone" <patrick@xxxxxxx>]

> Next, you only need an ISDN TA _OR_ and ISDN router - you don't=20
need both. A=20
> TA will either be an internal card or an external box. Most TA's=20
that I know=20
> of act as serial port devices and will be set up as a COM port=20
device and=20
> used just like any other modem. External ones will connect via ONE=20
exiting=20
> COM port on the PC, and thus will be limited to 115K max. An ISDN=20
router=20
> will typically (but not always) present an ethernet interface, so=20
you'd need=20
> a network card in the PC to use it, but I imagine there are USB=20
versions=20
> available as well?... Many IDSN routers also have a mini-hub built=20
in, and=20
> will give 4 or more RJ45 ethernet ports, Many also provide DHCP and=20
NAT=20
> straight out of the box.
> TA's are much cheaper, - some PCI card versions are going for as=20
little as=20
> =A315, external ones can be picked up from about =A340. ISDN
routers=20
typically=20
> start at about =A370-=A380 right up to =A3200-=A3300 depending on
feature=
s.

Couple of extra points to consider:

If you want to regularly connect to more than 1 ISP (e.g. if your=20
work place provides ISDN dial up access and you also want to connect=20
to your personal ISP), then using a router will be painful to=20
configure.

A serial ISDN TA will work with Linux "out of the box" - it
doesn't=20
need any special reconfiguration or kernel recompiles - since it=20
looks just like a conventional modem. A 486 will work just fine in=20
this configuration as a router/firewall, and provide NAT so that you=20
can connect multiple PCs to the net at the same time. You can choose=20
whether you manually initiate connection to your ISP or whether it=20
dials-on-demand.

And finally... ADSL:

The contention argument is a bit spurious as far as ADSL goes IMHO.=20
All internet connections are contended at some point -- its just a=20
case of where. Even if you can connect to your ISP at 128k over ISDN,=20
inevitably you will be sharing the upstream fixed network bandwidth=20
with all those other users dialled in at the same time. For me, the=20
value of ADSL comes from the "always on" nature (e.g. no cost=20
associated with how often you connect, no significant latency in=20
incoming mail delivery).

And Mark, it *is* possible to run webservers over ADSL - so long as=20
the ISP providing the service doesn't use NAT. Non-NAT connections=20
are available from a number of providers, including EasyNet (which my=20
mate has been very satisfied with). I don't know whether any=20
providers are offering non-NAT over USB yet, though.

Patrick


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