Vista or Not

[Beest]

I bought a HP laptop (dv2214us) with Vista Home Premium onit a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to set it up for a couple of motnhs and then hand it off to her.

I'm finding the interface a bit annoying, it's all rounded and flashy but they've changed everything so it's less intuitive.

I don't know the deep ins and outs, we have ZoneAlarm as a firewall and Spybot for Malware on our other computers. Vista seems to be handling these functions so I'm not sure I need to add more layers.

In summary I wouldnt bother upgrading existing computers to Vista, if your buying new then that's whats going to be on it.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Why do you need drivers for a cable modem? Its a stand alone device that works without interfacing with the OS, right?

the problem is with the cable modem. It's designed for xp and me etc, so the drivers that come standard with the device don't support vista as an os. Therefor, we have to wait another week or so till motorola has the drivers available so that cable will work with vista.

I could probably go out and buy a different brand of cable modem, but that'd just be a waste of money since the drivers will be available in a week or so.

It's just annoying that's all.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

the problem is with the cable modem. It's designed for xp and me etc, so the drivers that come standard with the device don't support vista as an os. Therefor, we have to wait another week or so till motorola has the drivers available so that cable will work with vista.

I could probably go out and buy a different brand of cable modem, but that'd just be a waste of money since the drivers will be available in a week or so.

It's just annoying that's all.

I don't think I've ever seen a cable modem that required OS drivers, though. Care to share a model number? mbpark might be right in that it doesn't have an ethernet connection on it, but I've never seen one like that, before.

[Aliantha]

It does have an earthnet connection.

Model is SB5101i.

I have spoken to my isp a number of times about the matter. I can't imagine any reason for them to be dishonest about the situation.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

It does have an earthnet connection.

Model is SB5101i.

I have spoken to my isp a number of times about the matter. I can't imagine any reason for them to be dishonest about the situation.

They are not being dishonest. Maybe only parroting what they were told. But a Motorola SB5101 connects one ethernet port from their box to one ethernet port on your computer. Connect cable wire from cable company wire to your modem. That's it. Bring up Internet Explorer. Access the cable modem as if it was another web site like cellar.org.

Instead of entering www.cellar.org, enter 192.168.1.1 .

'Web server' inside that cable modem will display modem's 'home page'.

You may need to enter a MAC ID later. MAC address is located on a label on that cable modem. Every ethernet device has a unique MAC address. Yours will start
00:xx:xx: ...
where xx are further hexadecimal digits. Record that number.

Do not use a USB connection from comptuer to modem. Use the Ethernet connection to make things so easy - and faster.

From Windows XP, open a Command Prompt Window (found in Start>All Programs>Accessoriesd>Command Prompt ). In that CRT Terminal like screen, enter IPCONFIG . That command reports about everything you need to see the computer connected to the modem - to be an informed computer technician.

Further information is found at:
http://broadband.motorola.com/consum...5101_UG_EN.pdf
See page 30 (Adobe page 36) for further details.


What they may call a driver is simply software that taps your keyboard keys for you - to access the modem's web server and enter setup information. No drivers. Setup is simple. Trying it once can even create 'computer literacy'.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

It does have an earthnet connection.

If it has an ethernet connection, there's a 99% chance it doesn't need a single driver loaded on the OS to operate. A router will suffice just fine.

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I can't imagine any reason for them to be dishonest about the situation.

They're not dishonest, they usually just suggest end users use their custom applications to make setup easier for both their call centers and you. If any connection to an ISP involves installing software they provide you, they're usually providing you a scripted shortcut that runs commands you could do on your own without their aid.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

If any connection to an ISP involves installing software they provide you, they're usually providing you a scripted shortcut that runs commands you could do on your own without their aid.

And malware.

[Aliantha]

That's all very interesting thanks. I'll have a go at it later and see if I can get it to work.

Once again, thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it.

[Aliantha]

OK...I've had a look at that site, and it doesn't have any information about vista on it at all tw. Only xp and prior.

I did look up the command window, and it says I'm connected to the cable etc, but it wont let me open webpages.

I have been trying to use the earthnet cable all along btw, so that's not the solution at this stage.

I might give the isp another call and see what they've got to say about all this.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I did look up the command window, and it says I'm connected to the cable etc, but it wont let me open webpages.

IPCONFIG program does not report a modem connected. It reports an IP address such as 192.168.1.20 . That number and other information from IPCONFIG should be posted because details provide significant facts - information you do not yet realize.

Meanwhile the ethernet cable is how to connect. (Not earthnet - 'ether' as in what some once speculated was the universe). USB cable that requires drivers - don't bother.

Once that IPCONFIG number and report is confirmed, then a correct entry in IE Explorer can be entered.

[mbpark]

tw,

The Motorola cable modems, when connected via Ethernet, usually give you a public IP address (not a 192.168.x.x) address. Depending on your cable provider, this will be the case. Verizon is the only ISP I know that gives you a device with an integrated router (this is for their business DSL).

Comcast also is known to disable the internal firmware configuration utilities within their devices. Verizon surprisingly doesn't.

If she gets a Linksys router and connects that in-line, then she will have to go to 192.168.1.1 to configure it .

Part of the reason they give the USB cable is because they lock down the network by MAC address, and the other part is due to the fact that it's a heck of a lot easier to write one call center script to troubleshoot cable modem issues if there is one NIC card (or cable device acting like one).

Yes, this can be spoofed, but the number of people that know how to do it is not significant enough to hurt their hand over fist profits.

The first thing you're going to want to do is get yourself a Linksys router at the local computer store or Wal-Mart. Windows Vista has made a lot of changes to how the network operates, and that's going to cause many issues with Motorola, who is less than reliable at writing good USB drivers for their cable modems.

You also don't want to have your computer acting as the firewall between you and lots of people with "owned" PCs. Really, you don't.

Plug the Linksys router in at the WAN port to your Cable Modem.
Plug your laptop/desktop into one of the four ports on the router. Go to 192.168.1.1 and make sure that the router is set to acquire its IP address by DHCP.

You'll be fine, and Linksys has a decent "wizard" CD-based setup that should work fine under Vista.

Many thanks,

Mitch

[xoxoxoBruce]

In Australia too?

[tw]

Originally Posted by mbpark

The Motorola cable modems, when connected via Ethernet, usually give you a public IP address (not a 192.168.x.x) address. Depending on your cable provider, this will be the case. Verizon is the only ISP I know that gives you a device with an integrated router (this is for their business DSL).

Which is why the actual numbers from IPCONFIG are required.

Aliantha said IPCONFIG reported modem connected. How did she know? IPCONFIG does not report modem protected. IPCONFIG only reports an IP address (ie 192.168.1.20). Another example of knowing something also demands why - the numbers.

Because it is Vista, then just another reason why Motorla modem should be connect via ethernet cable - not USB cable.

How does a Comcast modem connect to separate router? What protocol? Does modem connect using IP or does it use PPP protocols? IOW does Comcast modem act as a one port router or does it act as a bridge?

Comcast does not provide a multiple port router version of their modem? SB5101 is the single ethernet Motorola version. SB5102 is a modem with router (multiport) version. Does Comcast offer SB5102?

[mbpark]

tw,

Comcast offers a single port version, no multiple-port version. If you have a business setup with them, they will provide you with a Linksys or Netgear router.

Verizon, on the other hand, will give you an integrated Westell 4-port router with 802.11g wireless (with WPA-PSK support, no less), and very good support for user configurability. I.E. if you have a good enough (read: business with static IP) plan from them, they will help you even configure it for server usage.

Their cable modems connect to the routers out there over TCP/IP (the router has to use DHCP to connect to the modem, and usually requires you to use the "MAC Cloning" feature of the Linksys modems to connect the router from your PC as some cable providers associate a cable modem with a NIC card in a PC).

However, I have heard that Telstra in AU does require PPPoE over Cable and DSL. Verizon's consumer service requires PPPoE. Most, if not all routers support that.

The Linksys routers even have specific settings for AU/Telstra. I've seen them on the WRT54GS that I use .

Thanks,

Mitch

I would wait at least a year before using Vista.