Brian Murtari wrote:
> From: Brian Murtari <bmurtari_at_thomcastcom_dot_com>
> To: "'jvitiel_at_bellatlantic_dot_net'" <jvitiel_at_bellatlantic_dot_net>
> Cc: gb-users_at_gta_dot_com
> Subject: RE: Newbe ques - DSL/PPPoE workaround needed
> Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 20:20:23 -0500
>
> John,
>
> I will tell you same as I was told by GTA. GNATBox (Pro or Lite) does not
> currently support PPPoE. There are future plans (there is not a release
> date) to support PPPoE. I think the current problem is how do you squeeze
> ten pounds of shit into a five pound bag (oh those "floppy" blues). Even if
> you get all the settings in place I believe it will still not work.
>
> What I am using in the mean time is a Linksys product...
> http://www.linksys.com/scripts/features.asp?part=BEFSR41
> The PPPoE code is in beta but it seems to be working well with both DHCP and
> PPPoE. But it does not have or have immediate future plans for VPN.
>
> I Need VPN, DHCP, DNS, AND PPPoE all in one cheap box, whoever builds it
> will be my GOD!
>
> Brian Murtari
PPPoE is probably a bad idea in the big picture. The concept of IP connectivity
and the general flexibility and openness that IP connectivity provides is
lost when PPPoE is deployed. The issue of ADSL tunneling, etc is something
the providers/ADSL modems should have addressed inside the ADSL modem and not
in the clients workstation.
It appears that PPPoE has found itself as an adopted technology. Users have
to complain to their providers advising of the displeasure of having to
deploy this software to their desktops to achieve connectivity. I express
my displeasure by advising people to get a cable modem before they get ADSL.
Firewalls are a fact of life now adays. People need to protect themselves
and PPPoE's requirement to install on the client does not allow a firewall
layer to be added between the client and the Internet.
Hats off to GTA for going out on a limb and making a first class firewall
like GNATbox "free" for the typical end user sitting on the end of a dedicated
connection that needs to be secured from the "evils" of the Internet. Forcing
firewall companies, like GTA, to have to add this layer of support to their
products forces them to direct efforts away from the real technologies that
they are good at.
--
Darren Besler
Beehive Enterprises
Email: dbesler_at_beehive.mb_dot_ca
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