|
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
How are my comments seen as "confused?"
I said the exact same things you did.
-----Original Message-----
From: plug-admin@lists.phillylinux.org
[mailto:plug-admin@lists.phillylinux.org] On Behalf Of William H. Magill
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 1:41 PM
To: plug@lists.phillylinux.org
Subject: Re: [PLUG] verizon DSL
On 02 Feb, 2004, at 15:58, Chris wrote:
> As far as I know Verizon doesn't care about home networks sans
> something not
> working properly, they want one computer directly hooked up to the
> modem...
> which makes sense.
>
> They do auth against MAC addresses but it is an easy fix. Just call
> them up
> and tell them the MAC address and they will change it for you.
>
> I am not too sure if a power cycle will help, depending on the modem I
> suppose. That is probably an easier solution then calling up Tech
> Support.
> But it is always good to have two avenue's to fix a problem!
>
> I have Time Warner road runner and they were happy when I told them I
> had a
> linux firewall... its one less person they have to worry about being
> compromised. :)
Folks are confusing apples and oranges here.
There are modems and there are router/modems.
DSL normally uses only a modem.
Cable normally uses a router/modem.
Verizon DSL does use MAC address authentication -- and they provide
only a modem.
It is a real modem... dumb as a doornail. [Also, the last time I
checked, Verizon as ISP used/required PPOE, which adds another layer of
complexity to otherwise simple IP issues.]
Their DHCP server will only provide an address to a recognized MAC
address.
In reality, they don't care what that MAC address belongs to, just
don't ask them to troubleshoot anything other than a simple Wintel box.
They don't really care about home networks as long as you are smart
enough to run one on your own -- don't even think about asking them for
help, because they will tell you that you can't have one.
Stick a NAT router behind the modem, give it's MAC address to Verizon
and the world is a happy place. (Of course, everybody is calling these
routers "Firewalls" today, throwing grapefruit into the salad along
with the apples and oranges.)
Many cable modem routers and many NAT routers default to "spoof the
first MAC address you see" mode. This is why power cycling them (in the
correct sequence) works. The correct sequence is -- turn off everything
behind it AND the "it," turn on the "it," then turn on the thing you
want to be recognized - FIRST.
As far as my experience has been, Comecast will register multiple MAC
addresses on a single drop. But they also DO require the MAC address be
registered.
Road Runner is much more enlightened than either Comecast or Verizon.
[Note that Road Runner is a separate company, not run by Time Warner.
Ok, only recently purchased by Time Warner and therefore not corrupted
by the idiots at AOL. :) ]
Me, I use DCAnet as my ISP with Verizon as DSL provider -- still have
to provide DCAnet with my MAC addresses, however. But static IPs are
much nicer than DHCP, and I get to use real TCP/IP with no PPPOE in the
way.
In addition to PPPOE authentication, Verizon uses the same "scribbling"
technique found in many ethernet hubs and switches, as a security
provision and traffic limiter. If they don't recognize the MAC address,
they simply don't pass the traffic across the backplane of the
hub/switch. It may not even make it past the DSLAM, but I don't know
that for certain. (DSLAM= Digital Subscriber Loop Access Module,
located in the Central Office ... aka CO.)
I would assume that Comecast and Road Runner use similar technology in
their aggregation schemes, but I don't know how Redback's gear normally
works. RedBack Networks (www.redback.com) is the dominant supplier of
networking gear to the Cable Industry.
T.T.F.N.
William H. Magill
# Beige G3 - Rev A motherboard - 768 Meg
# Flat-panel iMac (2.1) 800MHz - Super Drive - 768 Meg
# PWS433a [Alpha 21164 Rev 7.2 (EV56)- 64 Meg]- Tru64 5.1a
# XP1000 - [Alpha EV6]
magill@mcgillsociety.org
magill@acm.org
magill@mac.com
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
|
|