[StAndrews and Fife LUG] Linux - Mandrake

[David Tillotson]

In message <00cf01c2ec5c$ef8b37e0$0201a8c0@SFL2>, bbd=20
<brian.duncan@fife.co.uk> writes
>having managed to get the WinXP system connected and running I know find
>that Mandrake and the Alcatel modem can't recover after a boot and I lose
>the connection.  the only way I seem to get is to remove the modem.
>reconfigure the connections, reboot, add the modem, reconfigure network
>connections.  linux and/or the modem seems to hang up after a while.

I assume that you have the "squashed frog" USB modem. Which drivers are=20
you using? Apparently the Benoit drivers are more stable than Alcatel's=20
own ones, so they may be worth a try (Google for "alcatel benoit" should=20
find it).

>3 or 4 times this week I've had to do that and it takes hours to recover t=
he
>problem. so I've had to go back onto Win XP and look for plan B.

It may be worth moving the modem onto the XP system, and using the ICS=20
stuff in XP - not as secure, I know, but obviously more stable (did I=20
just say XP more stable than Linux?!?!)
A better solution (although it does require a little expense) is to get=20
a decent router/modem. I got my Alcatel SpeedTouch Home for =A335 on eBay,=
=20
but my personal recommendation is the SpeedTouch 510 v4 which includes a=20
built-in 4 port switch (~=A395 from dslsource.co.uk). I set one up for a=20
client last week - took all of 30 seconds to get 4 PCs on line! It=20
includes a full dhcp server enabled by default, so you just set your=20
NICs to auto-assign addresses, access the pretty web interface on the=20
router, type in your ADSL user details, and click "connect".
--=20
David Tillotson