Re: Recommendation of ADSL modem

[Damian Gerow <dgerow_(_at_)_afflictions_(_dot_)_org>]

Thus spake steve_(_dot_)_kersley_(_at_)_keble_(_dot_)_ox_(_dot_)_ac_(_dot_)_uk (steve_(_dot_)_kersley_(_at_)_keble_(_dot_)_ox_(_dot_)_ac_(_dot_)_uk) [16/02/05 13:16]:
: I'd prefer to have the BSD box doing the connection and NAT/firewall 
: than use an ethernet to ADSL modem.

Why?

I, too, once preferred the thought of using an internal modem vs. an
external one.  Until I actually played with it.  The communications speed
isn't any faster (as the modem only did, at the time, ~3Mbps).  The
interface is a little more tricky to work with.  And the number of problems
skyrockets.

If you're having troubles with your 'Net connection, it is infinitely easier
to troubleshoot an external modem over an internal one.  And it frees up
your PCI slots (and, subsequently, IRQs and such).  It's much easier to
diagnose a dead external modem rather than a dead internal one.  To replace
the modem, you don't need to open up your computer.

There are many, many more reasons, but the end result is, unless space is a
serious, serious issue, external modems are a much better idea.

(Note that I'm not making comments on USB modems, just external Ethernet
modems.)