in an attempt to liquidate the dreadful AOL service from my pc, i am out "shopping" for new ISP's and have come across a fairly inexpensive solution SBC Yahoo.

now my question is this: do i have to ask for compatibility or does it not matter since it is just signals coming to my computer through an ethernet card (i ask this because on the signup page, linux is not listed and if i don't use windows or mac, it tells me that i failed to meet their requirements)

i don't know if it is necessary to install some software in order to get sbc yahoo working, i'd appreciate it if anyone who has possibly used this service with linux give me their advice and anyone else who could give me some input

thx


edit: also, what isp's do u guys use (broadband) that work well with linux?

hi

i am not sure but major services are usually compatible with linux even when they do not care to mention it. always on dsl lines are usually compatible

cable modem howto from tldp.org has a very comprehensive listing

SBC DSL works fine with Linux.
The rub is getting started.
I don't know about new user setup, but they often use an IE only page for switching services. If you have any setup problems they want to read from their support script which applies to Windows or Mac. You have to muddle through Linux yourself.
Unless you need to access one of the IE only pages, all that should be required is running the PPOE setup for your distro and possibly needing to enter the primary and secondary DNS servers manually. Finally telling me the DNS server addresses was number 4 or 5 on their script when I called even though I asked that directly.
You also get one connection access to dial-up. If you can find their Windows DUN howto it will have the information you need for the Linux dial-up connection.
You should be able to find manual mail and news settings.

EDIT: Make sure you don't get a USB DSL modem. Get one that plugs into your network card.

ok, thx for the info, and i'll check out the site

what is the ie only page for and what is the switching services thing? if all i will have is dsl (no dialup or anything) i shouldn't have a problem right?

also, entering some DNS manually are fine, i should be able to do that, but what is this PPOE setup?

I am not sure if a new subscriber would encounter the IE only page. I had to use it to "migrate" (as they call it) from one of the services SBC bought and again to "migrate" from dialup to DSL. I would guess there would be no reason for you to see that page, but I don't know.
PPPOE (excuse me) is PPP over ethernet. That is how you will connect to the DSL network. With Debian I ran a script called 'pppoeconf', I don't know what other distros use.
Try 'apropos pppoe' and see what you have installed already.
The DNS I had to put in /etc/resolv.conf

alright, cool, thx for the info

i'll post back once i get sbc

hi

ya do that. it will help others who search for the same info

regards
rahul sundaram

Why would you want to use SBC Yahoo? It's not to irk you, but it was good for a very short while, and then it stunk. It also downloaded TONS of CRAP on my computer. It's cheaper now, and it may have improved, but when I used it last in October or November, it stunk. I had Prodigy for years and it was great, but it started going downhill slightly about a month before SBC was released. I might go back if Juno has any problems or raises it's price, but Juno is a better value for now.( Except for the annoying bar at the top. SBC is better than AOL though by far. :-)

New2Lindows, when you use Linux it does not "downloaded TONS of CRAP" to your computer. All the ISPs load unnecessary stuff on when you do use Windows.

I use the sbc yahoo dsl service and I run it using a router. Using both the new versions of red hat AND mandrake I was able to install them and instantly be up and running without any extra configuration. So if you have or plan on buying a router, you have no worries. If not, then you've already been given good advice on how configuring it.

Curious on what you guys are talking about, "they download tons of CRAP to your computer" ??? They didn't download anything to my pc. =/ And since I'm using a router I don't even install there "software NEEDED for the dsl service to run". I laughed when I first had a problem and called in and the guy said that without the software it won't run. Tech support is funny. Two days later I call and they said it was just dns problems in my area.

Just a warning, you'll have to talk to several tech support people if you have any problems because most of them don't know much. But that's if you EVER do have problems. Cept for that dns problem in the last 6 months that was the only problem I saw.

Sorry refering to Windblows 98, they downloaded Yahoo Companion, a special form of Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Advertisements, more than your typical ISP. SBC may be pretty good now actually, especially the affordable DSL. Their custom broweser is cool, do you get that with Linux, I'm not sure but I don't think so. The connection was fine, actually SLIGHTLY better than Juno. I wouldn't steer you away, but it's worth looking into Juno, Net Zero, or Net Here. They're cheaper, and from the UOL companies I can say almost only good things. SBC had tons of pop ups, but so does AOL, and a lot of others. Hope to be of help, not a big pain.

AdS??!! Did you say AdS??!!

alright, as if i don't already have enough spyware on my windows pc, the last thing i need is for a cheap dsl company to pull a pathetic attempt to make more money by stuffing my internet full of ads!

Do these ads come because of software you installed or just through browsing the internet? Will those ads crossover to linux? (though i hear mozilla has a built-in popup blocker).

Umm, I use SBC Yahoo DSL and I've never had these problems in Linux. I first set up the DSL on my parent's computer in the office which uses Win ME, and it does install a bunch of things that are crap, but you can uninstall them and choose not to use them (Yahoo Messenger, custom broweser[not too shabby, but not mozilla firebird], and some other things.) I'm not sure about Spyware, but I've got them using mozilla browsers and stuff, so they don't get pop-ups anyways.

Setting up was really easy for me in Linux when I used Mandrake and Slackware. I simply compiled my kernel with ethernet support and all that other good stuff like PPPoE and stuff, so it automatically communicates with the DSL/Router that came with my DSL (The 2Wire Home Portal) as soon as I boot. If that doesn't work for you, they have instructions to set it up in RedHat through DHCP, but I don't know if that's necessary if you have PPPoE support compiled into the kernel.

P.S. If you're worried about SpyWare in windows, there are dozens of programs that find and remove spyware software... Oh, and you won't have to worry about it crossing over to Linux, too. You don't need to install anything in Linux to get it to run.

The only way to remove spyware from windows is the option do de-install windows IT'S your spy! But I agree with you on the software my phone co. said the software HAS to be install for logon for the connection to work (true for win) but linux did everything on it's own much faster too!

Even in Windows everything the CD wants to load on is not required.
If you turn autorun CD off it is possible to install only the PPPOE software and not their branded browser and connection client and whatever else gets loaded on.