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Date:      Thu, 22 Nov 2001 15:26:30 -0500
From:      "Steve Brown" <gtabug@prayforwind.com>
To:        "Fuji Zhang" <fzhang3@csd.uwo.ca>
Cc:        <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: high speed internet connection and lesstif question
Message-ID:  <000c01c17393$fd7255c0$660f129f@bro5637>
References:  <Pine.GSO.4.40.0111221215090.19676-100000@algernon.csd.uwo.ca> <000d01c17381$94666b00$7301a8c0@eagle.ca>

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I'm no guru, but I just went through all of this and haven't forgotten yet.

I suspect whoever you spoke to at Bell is wrong about USB, but just in case
they're not: they don't "support" FreeBSD or Linux, so watch they don't sell
you on hardware that will only work under Windows. I believe your best bet
is to forget the USB, part with you're $25 -> $30 (CDN) and pick up an
ethernet card. Make sure it's on this list:

 ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/i386/4.4-RELEASE/HARDWARE.TXT

I suggest the D-Link DFE-530TX card, it works under FreeBSD (I can confirm
it's good on 4.2 and 4.4), Linux, Windows. Don't pay more than $35 for it.
(Bell will include one for this price in their kit, but they may not be able
to tell you what make/model of card they have). On my box, FreeBSD found
this card right away, no configuration nescessary (/dev/vr0)

A few good reasons to stick with Ethernet:

- It will also work with a cable modem if you decide to try Rogers/Shaw
- or any other ISP's DSL package
- If you decide to share the connection with more than 1 computer via BB
router (Link-Sys, SMC Barricade, etc) you'll already be prepared. These
goodies cost under $140 CDN and you get the benefit of an IP firewall as
well.

ScaryG has it right about the ppp.conf and kernel config. I -did- have to
re-compile my 4.4 kernel to get it to work, the handbook does appear to be
wrong on this. Using his scheme, he won't have to give any more privileges
to his normal users for them to be able to connect. Or you could use
ppp_mode="auto" and put the line "set timeout [some number of seconds here,
delete the braces]" in ppp.conf if you're not comfortable being "always on".

Actually, if you have a Windows machine (or a dual boot Windows/FreeBSD like
mine) -and- you're a newbie, a router can make your life easier. Last week I
bought a SMC Barricade @ Futureshop. I configured it (via browser, no
"drivers" or anything) and was online 10 minutes after opening the box. I
then (deliberately) wiped out my entire FreeBSD partition.

I then booted FreeBSD with the 2 floppies as per new install, went straight
to the post-install "configure additional network interfaces" -before-
installing the system and connected to internet with 3 menu choices (confirm
NIC, try ipv6->NO, try DHCP-YES). Then I re-installed FreeBSD in about 35
minutes by FTP entirely over Sympatico HS and when I re-booted the system I
was online without having to do anything at all, nor will I have to
make -any- changes to the FreeBSD system if I change to any other ISP. (even
dialup, router has RS232 port on the WAN side for external analogue modem...
but of course I kept my ppp.conf etc in case the router fails).

The Sympatico kit normally contains an ethernet cable, DSL modem with power
supply, phone filters, Windows install CD (you won't need the CD for Windows
if you use a router), manual, and a card with your internet settings,
userID/Password, etc. Point being, the DSL modem has an ethernet jack, I'm
not aware of any that connect to USB.


Have fun! -Steve

----- Original Message -----
From: "ScaryG" <freymann@scaryg.shacknet.nu>
To: "Fuji Zhang" <fzhang3@csd.uwo.ca>
Cc: <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Sent: November 22, 2001 1:14 PM
Subject: Re: high speed internet connection and lesstif question


> > hi, thx for replying. no. i don't have any network card. when i called
> > BELL they seem to suggest if i have USB port on my MB i don't need to
have
> > network card. i have no experience or any knowledge in this thing.
>
>  Oh, well that's a little bit different.
>
>  First you'd have to ensure your USB DSL "modem" is supported under
FreeBSD.
> I have no idea if they are or aren't -- sorry.
>
>  It's quite easy if you have an external, ethernet based DSL Modem, 'cause
> then you'd connect a network cable between it and your network card.
>
>  The FreeBSD Handbook has a chapter on PPPoE. Depending on what release of
> FreeBSD you're using, it may involve recompiling your Kernel to include
the
> options required to do this.
>
> # PPPoE Stuff
> options         NETGRAPH
> options         NETGRAPH_ETHER
> options         NETGRAPH_PPPOE
> options         NETGRAPH_SOCKET
>
>  Most of the tutorials leave out one of the 4 options and then your kernel
> panics with errors about netgraph already installed, so be sure to include
> all four! I believe FreeBSD 4.4+ will auto load the kernel modules for
you.
>
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/pppoe.html
>
>  I added some items to my /etc/rc.conf file like:
>
> # PPPoE stuff
> ifconfig_vr1="up"
> ppp_enable="YES"
> ppp_mode="ddial"
> ppp_profile="default"
>
>  Then you have to configure /etc/ppp/ppp.conf. This is my entire file:
>
> default:
>         set device PPPoE:vr1
>         set speed sync
>         set mru 1492
>         set mtu 1492
>         set ctsrts off
>         enable lqr
>         set authname your.bell.user.id
>         set authkey your.bell.password
>         set log Phase tun command
>         set dial
>         set login
>         set ifaddr 10.0.0.1/0 10.0.0.2/0
>         add default HISADDR
> #       nat enable yes
>
> papchap:
>         set authname your.bell.user.id
>         set authkey your.bell.password
>
>  In this case, vr1 is the network card I'm using to connect to the DSL
> Modem. I suppose if you get your USB DSL Modem installed you would
> substitute that device name there.
>
>  They've made it super easy lately. More and more are using ADSL
> connections. I remember a little over a year ago when I tried to do this
> with FreeBSD 4.1 I believe, it was a bit of a hassle for about a week
before
> I got it working ;-)
>
> -gf
>
>
>
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