NTL cable broadband with Linux

What should I be aware of before signing up to NTL cable broadband? I
have an NTL phone line, so NTL is my only broadband option.

I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
any Linux-specific gotchas? I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
which won't work with Linux - is there any way to get them to provide
an ethernet-linked modem instead (or a router!)?

I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?

Thanks,
Paul

Paul Cager wrote:

> What should I be aware of before signing up to NTL cable broadband? I
> have an NTL phone line, so NTL is my only broadband option.
>
> I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
> any Linux-specific gotchas? I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
> which won't work with Linux - is there any way to get them to provide
> an ethernet-linked modem instead (or a router!)?
>
> I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
> connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?
>
> Thanks,
> Paul

One of the good things about NTL is that they provide a modem with both USB
and ethernet. They actively encourage using the ethernet connection.

http://www.ntlworld.com/helpsupport/ethernet/

I have a small home network with a mix of 'doze and 'nix OSes so I can't
answer your question regarding a stand-alone connection with Linux. I'm
sure if you Google there will be lots of help however.

HTH

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

"Paul Cager" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> What should I be aware of before signing up to NTL cable broadband? I
> have an NTL phone line, so NTL is my only broadband option.
>
> I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
> any Linux-specific gotchas? I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
> which won't work with Linux - is there any way to get them to provide
> an ethernet-linked modem instead (or a router!)?
>
> I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
> connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?
>
> Thanks,
> Paul
http://www.ntlworld.com/helpsupport/ethernet/

Ethernet works fine. This is coming from a Windows box, through a Linux
box as Firewall/mail server/Virus scanner, onto ntlworld.
You can elect to connect via the set top box, or a seperate modem unit. I
went with the latter, and paid for the modem (you have a choice of buying
it, or leasing it). The modem supplied, was a SurfBoard SB3100, which
connected directly to my Linux box without problems.
I have been having a problem recently, with an ICMP ping, but this doesn't
appear to be ntlworld, but one of the routers coming into the UK
There are a couple of good 'readme' files on the web, which give the names
of everything on ntl http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/

The section 'Doing without the broadband installer', has just about
everything needed. :-)
Remember that your ip address will not be fixed (though it is stable for
_long_ times), and that your upload speed will be a tiny fraction of the
available upload speed (depends on which bandwidth service you are on).

Best Wishes

Paul Cager wrote:
> I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
> any Linux-specific gotchas? I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
> which won't work with Linux - is there any way to get them to provide
> an ethernet-linked modem instead (or a router!)?

As mentioned, the cable modem is both USB and ethernet. The USB side
does work on Linux although when I used to use it a few years ago I
found that the driver would fail irretrievably (i.e. require reboot) or
crash the kernel about once a week.

Whether the driver has improved in that time I don't know.


> I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
> connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?

No.


--
Paul

["Followup-To:" header set to uk.comp.os.linux.]
On 23 May 2006 05:22:09 -0700, Paul Cager wrote:
> I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
> any Linux-specific gotchas? I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
> which won't work with Linux - is there any way to get them to provide
> an ethernet-linked modem instead (or a router!)?
>
> I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
> connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?

The usual modem (or at least the one I got from them) has ethernet & USB. The
ethernet just works, though it is locked to the MAC address of whichever PC you
get it activated for.

They don't seem to block common ports, certainly running smtp, ssh & web
servers all work fine.

I'd also suggest you install bind & point it at some none-ntl servers (such as
the main root ones) as ntl's dns servers don't run too well.

--
Stephen Patterson :: (E-Mail Removed) :: http://patter.mine.nu/
GPG: E3E8E974 :: Jabber: (E-Mail Removed)
"At night, the razor weasels come."

On 23 May 2006 05:22:09 -0700, in uk.telecom.broadband , "Paul Cager"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>What should I be aware of before signing up to NTL cable broadband? I
>have an NTL phone line, so NTL is my only broadband option.
>
>I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
>any Linux-specific gotchas?

Nope, connect up via the ethernet on the modem and off you go.

> I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem

The CM has ethernet as well.

>I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
>connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?

Nope, works fine, I run a webserver, mailserver and various other
things from my headless FC4 box in the shed.
--
Mark McIntyre

Mark McIntyre wrote:

> On 23 May 2006 05:22:09 -0700, in uk.telecom.broadband , "Paul Cager"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>What should I be aware of before signing up to NTL cable broadband? I
>>have an NTL phone line, so NTL is my only broadband option.
>>
>>I'll usually be using Linux (though I can dual-boot Windows). Are there
>>any Linux-specific gotchas?
>
> Nope, connect up via the ethernet on the modem and off you go.
>
>> I assume they'll try to give me a USB modem
>
> The CM has ethernet as well.
>
>>I might also want to run a web-server on my PC. Do NTL block inward
>>connections on port 80 (or indeed on any other port)?
>
> Nope, works fine, I run a webserver, mailserver and various other
> things from my headless FC4 box in the shed.


There is a web page by an enthusiast, about NTL and Blue Yonder
cable modems here:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d...ips/index.html

Doz wrote:

>
> My ntl connection is not locked to a MAC address.. tried may Pc's on the line
> over the years. You just need to power cycle the modem to associate a new MAC.

I think the confusion could be that the NTL connection is locked to the
MAC address of the Cable Modem. This connection is made when you register.

If you get a replacement modem then you need to register again.

When I first got my NTL Broadband connection, I was unable to register
because the MAC address of the modem had already been registered
elsewhere, so it refused to let me register it again. It took quite a
time on the phone to support, before I could convince them to unregister
it first, so that I could get online. [ At the time they insisted that
it only worked with windows, and refused to do anything until I tried it
with windows first. In the end I made a few clicking noises on he
keyboard, and told that that it still did the same with windows ;-) ]

Regards
JohnT

"John Taylor" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:mtKdnWMJfuGFw-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Doz wrote:
>
>>
>> My ntl connection is not locked to a MAC address.. tried may Pc's on
>> the line
>> over the years. You just need to power cycle the modem to associate a
>> new MAC.
>
> I think the confusion could be that the NTL connection is locked to the
> MAC address of the Cable Modem. This connection is made when you
> register.
>
> If you get a replacement modem then you need to register again.
>
> When I first got my NTL Broadband connection, I was unable to register
> because the MAC address of the modem had already been registered
> elsewhere, so it refused to let me register it again. It took quite a
> time on the phone to support, before I could convince them to unregister
> it first, so that I could get online. [ At the time they insisted that
> it only worked with windows, and refused to do anything until I tried it
> with windows first. In the end I made a few clicking noises on he
> keyboard, and told that that it still did the same with windows ;-) ]
If you knew 'where' it was previously registered, you can now do this
'online', under the bit that handles 'moving house'. I too have met this
one.
However the reason for the 'confusion', is that some of the modems
themselves, register the net card to which they are attached. The
SurfBoard unit does this, but it is resettable through the modem's
diagnostic page. Some units time this out after a while, and others
support multiple addresses. It depends on the modem firmware loaded. On
the SurfBoard for example, there is different firmware for the 'business'
accounts, and this allows multiple cards to attach.

Best Wishes