giving MS the boot

right thats it, MS have upset me for the last time (WPA) i'm taking the leap to linux (mandriva first) so i appologise in advance for posting some stupid questions, i'm just waiting for my order of DVD-RW media to arrive (hopefully on monday)

EDIT: i was going to tell MS that they've got the boot but MS site didn't seem to like FF so sod em, not an easy decition to make but its made now

 

Good luck with Mandriva, Dave.

If you are on broadband, I hope you can get a modem to work in it - if you do, please let me know how you did it! A working connection is something that has eluded me so far.

 

You've made the right decision

Once you get past the inital discomfort of using Linux, you'll see just how good an OS it really is.

 

thats not a problem, cos its already been working in various flavours of linux (Hayes ADSL ethernet router 15805)

why what are you trying to use ?

i hope so!, got butterflies in my tummy (with the antisipation)

 

I have a SpeedTouch 330 modem which I tried in both Ubuntu and Mandriva. I'll have another go soon. Of course, have a working modem in Linux is absolutely essential if you are to make any progress. It was the only thing that held me back from what I would imagine would have been a very interesting and rewarding learning experience.

 

yeah, i've got a couple of 330's kicking around, i would recommend you get an ethernet router (thats what i've got) cos it just works <full stop> it is possible to get a 330 working in linux, but it's much easier with a router (a modem is built into a router, and get one with a built in gateway (so you can setup a VoIP connection) and possibly a built in firewall)
hope that explains a thing or two

EDIT: you could even configure a router in Win, and then just reboot to linux and everything will be hunky dory, and a working net connection

a router is about £30

 

He was having problems with the modem drivers in Linux, not windows I think. A friend of mine was having problems with the Speedtouch modem. Ethernet connections are generally much easier.

 

Yes, as Addis, said - I was having prolems in Linux with the SpeedTouch 330. I understand it not to be that good of a modem anyway - it came free when I signed-up for Virgin Broadband (it coming free may tell us something...).

I might just check out a purchase of a router - it could be the solution to the problems I was having.

 

EDIT: I have no knowledge whatsoever re: routers. Would I have to install some sort of network card to use one, or would one just plug into a USB port, like the SpeddTouch 330 does?

Many thanks,

Dave.

 

I have to agree that using an ethernet connection is the best way to go. As for Mandriva, it's a good distro. In fact, we have a tutorial on Getting The Most From Mandriva which should really help you get off on the right foot.

 

[ot]

The reason you want a router is because you can use a direct ethernet connection, instead of USB which causes many problems. Ethernet connections to modems don't need drivers. However, if you don't have an ethernet network card then you'll need to buy a cheap PCI one and install it. The majority of wired network cards are already supported by Linux. Make sure you get an ADSL modem router, not a cable one. A cable one will only have ethernet ports, not the RJ11 connection to your phone socket.[/ot]

 

there are more than a few routers to choose from out there this, this or you could choose a wireless one like this it also comes with 2 wireless network cards
or do your own search using your fav search engine

the 330 are not that crap until they get up to 8Mb service (anything above that is when their crap) ISP's give em away for free cos their cheap

P.S. you also need a 10 / 100 network card for each pc connected to the router

 

Many thanks, guys.

Some good advice for me to start checking things out. Just a thought -but looking at my "Network Connections" in XP - I have the following:

"Local Area Connection - VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet adaptor." Will this do to connect a router to? I'm thinking it is just a LAN connection and would not be any good for what I want to achieve - but as I said - I'm not at all familiar with such things.

Dave.

 

Yes that'd be a network card, it should do fine.

 

yeah, i'm with Addis on that, that LAN adapter / network card will be fine, just don't tell mega, cos he hates anything VIA lol

 

[ot]

I wont whisper a word![/ot]

 

[ot]good, thank you, please promise you won't tell him[/ot]

 

[ot]LOL, I don't mind who's running VIA hardware, as long as it's not me

It's just in my experiences, I've found VIA hardware to be very unstable and incompatible. But I don't want to expand on that any further because I've already devoted too much white space to it already. And I took a pounding for it [/ot]

 

[ot]:swear: mega, you wern't suppose to see that, it was suppose to be a secret[/ot]

 

[ot]I have VIA chipsets on almost all of my machines, no problems here.[/ot]