Re: DSL support
Some notes: (I don't like 98 Guy and ignore him, but a couple of things you
talk about need addressing. Suggest you ignore him, also, since he is
obviously piling on stuff that is totally irrelevant to your problem.)
The LAN card drivers have nothing to do with the ATT modem. Installing the
LAN card simply allows you to network your computer via CAT5 cable. Your ATT
modem is another LAN component and will work just like any other LAN
component. The LAN drivers are only to let the OS communicate with the LAN
card. They have nothing to do with any other LAN component.
Yes, you *should* have a router in addition to the DSL modem, for enhanced
security of NAT. But no, I've never heard of a router that didn't work with
an ATT modem. Setting up a router can be tricky, but you need to connect
your computer directly to the DSL modem and get it to work completely before
even considering the addition of a router.
The modem should automatically detect your new IP address and also DNS
settings (and PPPoE protocols are likewise automatically set up for you.)
SMTP and NNTP have NOTHING to do with internet access. They are mail and
news servers respectively, and are only useful to a mail/news reader
program. Once you have successfully set up the DSL and can connect to the
internet, THEN you can find out what the ATT mail and news settings are, but
don't even think about the issue until you've managed to get connected to
the internet.
--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com
"Tiffany S." <NiceTiffany@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:11644-47596B25-72@storefull-3234.bay.webtv.net...
On Fri, Dec 7, 2007, 9:14am,
98@Guy.com (98 Guy) wrote:
>Jesus christ, I can't believe how complicated this
>issue is becoming.
Yes, that is why I seek help. I had told the sales rep that I did not
have a network card. She insisted that as long as my machine was Win98
or better, there would be no problem, that the modem would connect
through USB.
>Look "Tiffany", get off your ass and spend $5
> for a PCI network card.
I have no problem doing that, but why should I if AT&T is going to send
a modem that connects through USB? Besides, now that I know that there
is a Win98 compatibility issue, I don't want to buy and install a
network card if it still will not work. Maybe this is the last straw
telling me that I should upgrade to a more powerful pc with either XP or
Vista.
>it's a 10/100 card (ie 10 mbps and 100 mbps)
> it WILL have win-98 drivers. The only cards
> that *may not* have drivers are giga-speed
> cards (ie 1000 mbps).
Okay, so the drivers will work with my pc. That still does not tell me
whether they will work with AT&T's Motorola modem or with the "2-Wire"
wi-fi router they later sent me.
>Then do what I said ... and get that NAT-router
> I told you about. Your NAT-router will perform
> pppoe logon for you...
I had read that AT&T DSL service is not compatible with all routers. I
don't know, maybe they purposely made it incompatible to force me to use
their setup CD, which contains God knows what. That's why I am asking
here, people with real experience dealing with this stuff, before I
spend time and money for nothing.
>Your ISP will have given you a network ID or account
>number, and a password. It will be on some document
> that came in the mail from them. Perhaps it was
>printed on a sticker that was pasted on the inside
> front or back cover of a "getting started" booklet
> along with other network settings (like DNS, NNTP,
>SMTP server listings).
They gave me an ID and a password, but not the server settings. Believe
it or not, when I asked technical support, they had no idea what SMTP or
NNTP are.
Aside from PPPoE, I have no idea what the other parameters would be that
I would have to know.
Also, AT&T refuses to give support to Win98, so if I should lose
service, I will have to lie to them and tell them I have xp in order for
them to talk to me. Then I want to be sure that my software interface
can do what they tell me to do with *their* interface.
I am here seeking help. I apologize if I upset you.