I'm in the process of building a new system based upon the AMD Athlon 64 4000+ CPU and ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe mobo.
I also plan on upgrading to (as the subject line suggests) DSL/cable/broadband internet connection. I currently only have (and am presently using) dial-up and Windows 98SE.
Since I plan on installing Debian or a Linux variety I was wondering what brand/company equipment should I be looking at for compatibility reasons for my DSL/cable/boadband internet modem?
Is there a web page or FAQ or list somewhere I might be able to get to give me an idea?
I'd prefer to iron out as many problems ahead of time as I can.
I'm not even sure that this is possible but I thought that I'd ask anyway.
Any and all information would be greatly appreciated!

Thankx for your attention!

My advice would be to get a modem with an Ethernet port, not one that just has USB. This won't need any drivers, and should "just work".

For your own sanity, use a DSL/Cable modem with an ethernet connection back to your PC. If you're in the states and you choose DSL, go with BellSouth or Verizon and use their supplied Westell DSL modem. It works. If using a cable connection, buy a Linksys cable modem and use Comcast, takes a little work but it'll will work.
Also,
If running Linux and using DSL/Cable for an Internet connection, you're on your own. Expect no help from the provider.

I'll also chime in on the Ethernet option over USB. Cara25 brings up a great point about support, and my recommendation would be to use a Windows box to first set up your broadband connection. The installation software you get will probably be on a CD, and will use Windows-based .exe files, etc. Typically the first time the DSL modem is installed and you turn it on, the installation software will take you to your ISP's home page, where you need to go through the new user registration process. You should keep the Win98 box around for a while, if only to get online for the first time with DSL. I use Earthlink, and have been very happy with their service, price, and performance.

Once you are set up on broadband, you can just connect your Linux box to the DSL modem and you'll be all set. Good luck with it and Welcome to LQ

Another STRONG vote for ethernet. There are just too many sad stories from posters with USB network devices. Currently, I'm using a D-Link wireless bridge (connected to my PC via ethernet) to access my wireless router. But, I'm going to try a NetGear WG311T PCI wireless card in the near future.

To J.W.,
Glad you metioned Windows, I was afraid to ! I too use my XP machine to fall back on with the DSL products that I'm exposed to. My suggestions seem to be limited to some but once I find a product that works, I usually stick with the product until something obviusly proves to work better.
Scott Nash

Thanks for posting back. As I see it, realistically I think that while everyone here at LQ probably prefers to use Linux, most people end up using Windows with some regularity. At home, my use of Windows is limited to about 5 minutes every two weeks, when I check my paystub (the payroll company will not support any browser except IE. I asked them why they require users to access their site with known insecure software, never got a reply) Otherwise I'm 100% on Slack or SuSE. At work however, it's a different story. The company I work for is web-based, and almost everything is MSFT, so during the workday I'm on Windows XP.

More on topic, anytime someone is taking the plunge into new territory, it's important to go into it with a realistic set of expectations, and in the case of setting up a new DSL connection, the simple fact is that every ISP I've ever dealt with uses Windows-based installation software, and it would be a major bummer for someone who's all fired up about Linux to be unable to initialize their DSL account due to the absence of a Linux-based equivalent on the installation CD. As I outlined above, once the DSL connection has been established, Linux will happily connect, and (as I see it) it's my decision as to which OS I use on my PC, not my ISP's.

Lastly, the reason everyone (so far) has all recommended the Ethernet approach rather than the USB approach is simply due to the fact that different distros have different default levels of USB support. All distros that I have worked with can automatically support an Ethernet connection, but some distros don't automatically load the kernel modules at bootup that a USB DSL modem would need in order to work properly

With regard to cable-based broadband at least, in the vast majority of cases, this installation software is a complete farce and is not needed in any way on any modern system. It is given to you for two main purposes and one minor one.

1) Install adware, spyware, and a customized version of Internet Explorer that constantly advertises their service with a fancy throbber or menu addition.

2) Automate the process of setting up the appropriate servers for Outlook/Outlook Express.

3) (minor) Install USB drivers if you'll be using those.

The installation software at one time would also automate the process needed to make sure your network bindings were correctly configured in Windows 98 or lower, but since MS no longer supports these systems, this has been abandoned.

Using a major cable provider and just about any cable modem made in the last 5 years that actually works with your provider's system requires little more than plugging in the Ethernet cable and turning everything on.

With DSL, it's not much different, but there are some providers with antiquated systems that require you to connect to them initially using a method that they officially support to activate your account. I couldn't name one of these off-hand, however.

Echoing what others have said, if you use a modem with an Ethernet port, you will very likely have no issues once the modem itself makes a connection to the provider's network. The bigger issue will be getting a modem that your provider supports.

If you opt for cable, a linksys router will interface with the modem, and you really don't have any setup other then opting for dhcp and browsing to your isp's website for the initial requisitioning. For DSL, the DSL connection is handled by the router and configured through the router's web interface.

At work I needed to setup a cable modem to a video download server where I didn't have root access or a browser to access the modem to requisition it. It was X86 based and had a CDROM, so I was able to boot up using a live linux distro and requisitioned the modem that way.