[Leaplist] Linux on cfl-road-runner

["pberry2" at cfl.rr.com]

Dan Cherry wrote:
> Hi,
> I've had Bellsouth DSL since they offered it in my area, and it's been 'okay', 
> but lately they seem to be losing the ability to provide acceptable service - 
> lots of mistakes, mostly in their offices and behind the scenes, not the 
> connection itself.
>
> After checking out the Brighthouse website (primarily advertising - not much 
> tech info useful from a networking or Linux perspective), I searched the LEAP 
> archives and most road runner info was several years old.  
>
>   

I have had Roadrunner/Brighthouse since Feb . of 2002. 

I have run as many as 15 systems on switch hubs off a Speedstream router 
and an IPCOP box.

One system is running XP Pro, that tests and provides an ability to 
integrate weirdness run by Universities and some Government contractors, 
in order to fill ancient contracts on unique systems that are 
irreplacable.  


Have 4 Macs, two on wifi, plus, a dozen Linux systems.  I test hardware, 
and build/troubleshoot boxes for friends and relatives.  Also, run some 
BSD, and lots of live CDroms, also.

I simply "plug-in"  to the wi-fi, or the ethernet port on the network, 
and am on-line, instantly.  The trick is to run a router (and DHCP) to 
keep the connection alive and assign an IP#. 

The only problems were over the April through July hurricane season of 
2005, when everything in the electrical and cable and phone grids were 
breaking down, at aged 26 or so, having been subjected to severe 
lightning and weather over much of that time. 

Progress Energy rebuilt our electrical distribution grid, from the sub 
station to my meter, and I replaced my mains and sub-panel circuit 
breakers with Square D  ( were the notoriously unsafe failure prone, and 
outlawed in several states, Federal Pacific brand).

I acquired a dozen UPS boxes, and Bright House put in new Fiber Optics 
amps, power supplies, and fully rebuilt the 820 foot distribution for 
these 115 customers. 

I  saw29 service calls, and met all the technicians,  and they installed 
the house run three times from the distribution amp stub, plus, they 
swapped out my modem 6 times.  The amp out back, and the 7 between mine 
and the power amp, were all replaced, some more than 6 times. 

The lack of troubleshooting acumen was apparent, but,  three different 
field hands have the complete analysis systems on the truck, while four 
others had handheld 'scopes' and the final visitor put an amplifier on 
our cable TV line. 


*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  NOTABLE INFO *   *   *   *   
*   *   *   *   *   *
Make notes, there will be a test!

My ping rates to 65.33.48.1 are in the 8 to 12 ms range, now.   You want 
to run a ping test  anytime  the net seems slow.   First, turn off all 
filesharing services on any networked systems.   Then open a console and 
type ping 65.33.48.1  and  watch the  stats.  20  returns is plenty.

If it exceeds 80 ms, then Bright House will  run remote tests to the 
modem, to see what they get, and will issue a trouble ticket if  they 
agree. 

Most customer service techs. know that there is something called 
Macintosh, and maybe heard of Linux.

As soon as the monkey script goes to the "Go to your Windows machine, 
re-boot" or "Open a command console and type ...." and I state that I am 
running Macs, BSD, and Linux machines, Well, they tend to nod off... 
lost, glazed look that I can hear over the phone...   They simply give 
up, call out a trouble ticket.  They are all very nice, (yes, they even 
have told me the progress of their young family, etc.  cause we are all 
like family, now, due to hours on the phone over those months in 2005!).

Only had one call out since 2005, when the TV was made a bit fuzzy in 
the rainy days of late 2006.   That is when they put the ac powered 
internal amp on the TV cable.

I hope this helps you out, Dan!  I am in Casselberry, near the county 
line of Seminole County and Orange County, North of Aloma on Semoran.