cable modem

[RJ]

Hello all,

a few weeks ago I moved to another city, and my current flat does not have a phone line. Since I can't get a phone line I considered about getting a cable modem for getting online.

I have no experience with cable modems at all. Is this like a normal modem, just that it plugs into the cable tv jack, or is it different ?
Does the cable modem just require a normal cable tv line or is there anything special what's needed ?

The rest (creating a dial up connection with the data of my ISP) is the same ?

I'm using Windows XP. Cable modem is also broadband like DSL, right ?

TIA,

RJ

[reboot]

Don't even put cable and phone in the same sentence.
Forget everything you know about dialup.
Cable is a network card in your computer, a "modem" (a misnomer, as cable is digital, and does not to digital to analog conversions), and the regular TV cable line.
Your cable provider will set you up with everything you need, so don't purchase anything beforehand.
There is no dialling, there is no "connecting" sequence, it's always on. You turn on your computer, get to your desktop, open the browser and surf...and I'll add in that you'll surf at about 100 times faster than your previous dialup.
Can you say "Global Thermo-nuclear Internet"? It'll be so fast, you'll never go back to dialling anything through a phone line again.

[trulad]

RJ: You will have to contact your cable TV company to see if they offer cable internet service. Some don't. Usually they will provide the modem and hook it up and set it up for you.
Trudy

[sdkfz]

Agreed on the switch, I am looking for a home to buy and I told the realtor the list of what I must have in a home and DSL/Cable was on that short list.

I recently was at a friends house talking about this site and offered to show them how great this is, OH MY GOD dial up! I forgot how slow it is.

One caveat, the 'always on' leaves you much more open to hackers, get a firewall.

[TEEB]

Also, the cable company will INSTALL the NIC's in your computer for you and probably give you a free month of service.

That's what they do in my area.....

[RJ]

Thank you all for the replies.

So it seems it's like when I got DSL a year ago. I make a contract with my ISP and I will get anything I need.

With dialup I also meant DSL, but actually it's not really correct either as I didn't have a dial-up number. But I always used the Dialup Network therefore I said dial-up, but I actually meant DSL. Well, it doesn't really matter, anyway.

A classmate told me that I would need an additional modem besides the actual cable modem. From what I read he is mistaken. Can this be confirmed ?

Thanks. Looks like I can also get my internet connection here :)

RJ

[TEEB]

You only need one modem. The cable company provides it. You connect from the wall with coax cable to the modem and then cat 5, RJ45 from the modem to the NIC in your computer.

At least that's how it works where I come from.

[Confused]

As Teeb reported, that is the way it is in the states also. However in the states some ISP's allow you to supply your own modem. Much cheaper.
Chas

[glc]

The reason you used dialup networking to connect with your DSL is because of the PPPoE authentication. Cable is "always on" and it usually uses MAC authentication.

Good luck with your classes, RJ.

[pillainp]

Hi,

I am told by my cable internet provider that installing a firewall might screw up their IP assigment system. Is this true?

NPP

[akmsr]

i'm using cable. its almost 3 times faster than my friends connection who uses dsl.

[bigkev1001]

Cable rocks in my area. My home cable connection is, on average, 5 times faster then my employer's business class DSL (768 up/down). Even on the upstrem I am a little bit faster. I don't know if this helps in England ( I'm guessing, you said *flat*) but try www.dslreports.com and see if they have any information on isp's in your area.

BIG kev ;)

[glc]

bigkev: RJ's country of origin (as is everyone else's who chooses to list their "location" in their profile is listed under his name just above his post count. This is purely optional, but we encourage that it be listed to help with issues like this.

pillainp: It's possible if the firewall doesn't allow the ISP's DHCP server to communicate properly with your operating system. I think this concern is left over from the days (not that long ago, actually) when software firewalls were not easy to configure.

[bigkev1001]

Sorry RJ,

I did not notice you were from Germany.

[cobra]

cable r0x0rs!

[Floppyman]

Originally posted by cobra
cable r0x0rs!

I agree with that, but my connection at college is even faster.:)

[pillainp]

glc,

Any ideas on how to set up the firewall with DHCP access? I plan on using ZoneAlarm Pro 3.1.395. What is your opinion?

NPP

[glc]

ZA Pro should adapt just fine all by itself.

[Aeryn]

Cable is great. I'am getting a connection rated at 1.5 Mbps but actual speeds of 2-3 Mbps. :) Take that T1.

[RJ]

Thanks all.

Unfortunately the cable network is not so big in germany. I will call the providers tomorrow and see if I can get cable.

RJ

[Tuf]

Best of Luck with it RJ.