NIC -vs- USB for cable modem connection

[cjolley]

I am getting cable soon, so the question comes up -> How to connect?

We will be getting a hub so that my wife & I can both connect.
I will be putting a NIC in her computer.
What I want to know is -> Am I better off connecting my computer via my existing USB port through a converter or by using a NIC.
The only real problem I see with the NIC is that I don't have any free IRQs >= 9.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
chuck


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ABit BH6 w/ Celery 333@500, 128mb gh@cas2, 10gb IBM@7200, SB Live Value@44kh, noname CDRom@40x, Mitsumi CDRW@2x2x8, Zoom@56k, Princeton EO75@1024x768x32x85hz, USB mouse,Matrox G400 MAX!!!!

[Zypher]

NIC!

Usb is "ok" but limited on bandwidth, and eats a fair bit of cpu time. Most decent bustmastering nics use <1% cpu time, where just the usb controller can eat 20-30% of cpu time, esp heavy hitters like ethernet interface....even if you have some supercolled 800mhz athlon. It does affect framerate, and adds some latency. A mouse or rarely used item like a printer won't hog much cpu time though.

Try ics on one machine, or even a 3rd machine...you could also try setting up a linux router or ip redirect.


Free up some irqs by killing anything you don't use, extra com ports, maybe secondary ide channel etc etc your bios should rearrange the lower irqs if you do.

My nic shares its irq with the BX usb controller, and works fine. (have usb mouse, gamepad and monitor hub, they work simultaneously while I use lan I'd avoid sharing with anything else though, esp vidcards, soundcards and scsi.

$20-50 for a good 10/100 *busmastering* nic. For only a few computers, a 4-8 port 10 hub with uplink can be had for the same price range.

My $0.03

[cjolley]

Thanks
I'll probably order the MATROX "Network to Go"

2 NICs, 8 port hub, & cables = 89$ from the online store.

Then if my NICs & my G400 dont play nice I know who to talk to!

chuck


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ABit BH6 w/ Celery 333@500, 128mb gh@cas2, 10gb IBM@7200, SB Live Value@44kh, noname CDRom@40x, Mitsumi CDRW@2x2x8, Zoom@56k, Princeton EO75@1024x768x32x85hz, USB mouse,Matrox G400 MAX!!!!

[merchant2112]

oh one thing to note, don't tell your cable company you are going to set up a dual system. if you read the fine print on the agreement they will charge you extra for 2 computers. (most of them anyway) even though you will be shareing the bandwith if your wife is on at the same time as you. those cable companys are almost as greedy as microsoft or intel.

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EVIL IS GOOD. EVIL IS LIVE SPELLED BACKWARD AND WE ALL WANT TO LIVE RIGHT ?
INTEL EVIL INSIDE, INTEL SPYCHIP INSIDE

[This message has been edited by merchant2112 (edited 18 October 1999).]

[jeepman]

I agree with merchant2112, but I will add in Southern California, if they see any hubs, extra twisted pair Ethernet cables, sometimes even an extra machine, they will not install. Or, they may say you need to order additional IP addresses, up to a total of five. But why would I want to do that when I already paid for Sygate? ;>)

Also, DO NOT let them install whatever customized browser they use. They suck. Use your existing browser and set it up with a link to their homepage. Also, they may set you up to use a proxy, I turned that off too. They already log enough stuff!

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ABIT BP6, 256MB PC100 RAM, dual 366 Celerons oc'd to 550MHz, 3DFXCool 66mmLx60mmWx69mmH Lil Mofo h/s fans. Marvel G200 PCI, Canopus Pure3DII, 3COM 905B NIC, Buslogic FlashPoint LW Ultra-Wide SCSI, SB16 ISA. Segate Medalist PRO 9.1 GB UW SCSI 7200RPM, Maxtor 20.4GB ATA66 7200RPM 2MB Cache, 8GB tape b/u, IDE 32x CDROM, SCSI 4xwrite/8xread Panasonic CD writer, 4 more various 2GB SCSI drives.

[Mark F]

Cjolley,

If you can spare a few CPU cycles, use the less used machine with a USB-enet adapter for the cable-modem and NICs between the PCs. Two NICs in the PC atached to the Cable-modem might be more effecent, but can be a real headache to set up.

You didn't mention what cable co will hook you up, so...
I have Mediaone, their policy here is not to hook up to any PC on a network. Service any PC on a network. Or provide suport to problems for a PC related to being on a network. Also if you set up DNS wrong and become a "server for everybody", they will pull service.
The good news in all this is that rhey don't forbid you to hooh up to a network after they've done their install. In effect your just on your own, as long as you don't cause them any problems. This is not an unfair policy, because it doesn't create nearly unenforsable rules, that people might try to curcomvent. And for their techs, they don't have to deal with any wirdness from you net rig.
Now if they could just get me on 2way

Mark F.

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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a CD


[This message has been edited by Mark F (edited 18 October 1999).]

[cjolley]

Thanks Guys,

It's Cox(uker ) Cable
But, they only charge $6/mo extra for second IP $ stuff so my wife can have her own connection, E-Mail etc.

I drove by the house @ lunch & they were pulling cable up our easement. So it won't be long!

chuck




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ABit BH6 w/ Celery 333@500, 128mb gh@cas2, 10gb IBM@7200, SB Live Value@44kh, noname CDRom@40x, Mitsumi CDRW@2x2x8, Zoom@56k, Princeton EO75@1024x768x32x85hz, USB mouse,Matrox G400 MAX!!!!

[Zypher]

Some of the 2nd tier companies (netgear linksys dlink etc) have decent ~$50-100 2x10/100 nics + various type of hub kits. Be sure to get busmastering...and NOT a "100 only" hub, or some friends that come over are ****ed.

Tier 1 are fine (intel 3com) but never buy retail...too pricey, use pricewatch and the like.

Matrox may be ok, but I've YET to see their cards or hubs for sale on CS, local, or casual shopping online....3rd tier or repackaging?

The BEST type of cable modems are the *external* 2-ways...with one cable plug, one power plug, and one ethernet plug...maybe even uplink Once you find out all the bull, like gateways, your ip, blah blah blah blah you can delete all the cableco BS and be your own guy...and they don't have to see your hub sitting under it

[Mark F]

Zypher -Do you have a part number or model name for any of those inexpencive dual port nics ? Looking I found lots of sub $100 dual speed hubs, even switches, but no NICs. Most that I've found cost $250 - $300.
One interesting solution is Linksys's Network Bridge, unfortunatly it's not available yet.

Mark F.

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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a CD

[Zypher]

The external cable modems I was referring to are not dual port nics...they are external cable modems

BUT, you can get a *quad* port nic for under 200
http://shop.netlux.com/asp/shopping_...ernet_Adapters

Product Name: D-Link DFE-570TX 10/100 4 Port PCI NIC
Product No: DFE-570TX
Selling Price: $ 169

4-port PCI 32-bit Bus Master SERVER 10/100MBps NIC
4 10/100Mbps NETWORK RJ-45 Ports with Redundancy
Supports: Windows NT4.0

However, only Winblows NT drivers right now :/ (likely be ok in w2k though)

...I doubt regular ol 9x could handle it anyway.

I have enough irqs myself...barely...for two pci nics. If my dsl modem isn't friendly, either my main puter or the mini linux box will become my personal server

The only other multiport nics I've seen are adaptec 6220 quad or something, and those happen to be $500+ 64 bit pci adapters.

Haven't seen any duals...try pricewatch and shopper, but it might be hard to get good search terms.

Setting up two nics on a extra computer would probably be easier and cheaper.

[Zypher]

Oh yeah duh, the "2x10/100" in my second post was for the kits, they come with two nics, a hub, cables, and a 'dummies guide'. Sorry for the confusion.

[Mark F]

Zypher,
Thanks for the repley, even if it did dash my hopes . I'm running 98. Maybe I'll through some old parts together w/2 extra NICs. Hmmm, LINUX IP Mascarading (free/cheap), 98se's connection shareing (low cost for upgrade), or Nat32 (low cost).
Just got a Linksys net kit with a switch for $120. haven't set it up yet, hopefully this weekend. Just a little more for a switched syetm instead of a hub!!!

Mark F.

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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a CD

[paul]

Cable modems connect to a 10mbps card. USB is what, 4mbps? If your pc's are hooked up the wrong way (file/print sharing and no proxy/NAT software), other people on the same node can see your pcs and visa-versa.

I use Internet_extender on on old spare pc to run cable network through the house (3 pc's). It's a
dos program that doesn't need even a hard drive. http://www-acc.scu.edu/~jsarich/ieweb is the site.
Reply if you're
interested. (im not affiliated, just very pleased w/it)

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k6-3 450 - tyan 1590s bios 1.16 - wdac310100 - g200 mill sgram w/8mb upgrade & bios 2.6-20 PD 4.51 (all software disabled) - AGP1x - 128MB 10ns sdram - sblive value 2.1 - 3com 3c905b-tx - cable access (28.8k for emergencies) - win98 service pack 1 + 2
dx7

[Mark F]

Yes Paul the cable modem connect with a 10Mbps NIC, but it's only a 1.5Mbps connection. Well, sometimes, if the planets are aligned just right, a virgin has been sacrificed, and 'two cows' udders have been rubbed the right way (oh yeah, it dosn't hurt if it late at night when there are not a lot of other users) I might see about 2.5Mbsp in a bandwidth test. Still well bell USB's 12Mbps.

I'll have a look at the prog after I get the network set up.

Thanks,
Mark F.


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OH NO, my retractable cup holder swallowed a CD