I was wondering if it is possible to use a Motorola SURFboard SB5120 cable modem with Linux using the USB connection. Right now I have my computer hooked up through the ethernet port but I want to hook up another computer (actually, a PlayStation 2) and would like to avoid buying a router. The Motorola web site says that there aren't Linux drivers but recent Linux releases have been full of surprises and maybe Motorola's FAQ database is outdated.

-Brandon

Have you tried the usb connection just to see if you can get it working? Some other thoughts, another nic would cost about 10 or 15 $ us, and you could use the linux machine as a router. It would take a commentment on your part to do a ton of reading, and trial and error, but, I think what you wish to do is feasable. If that helps.
good luck.

I haven't tried it because my Linux machine that is usually a dual boot system is currently Windows-only. I plan on reinstalling Linux soon but if USB doesn't work and I will need a router, I would like to go ahead and buy one now.

As for using my computer as a router, it certainly sounds interesting but I don't necessarily want to have to turn my computer on and have Linux booted (since it's a dual boot system) to use the other computer online. Also, wouldn't the connection performance for the second computer depend on the CPU load of the Linux machine?

Sorry, I'm a bit confused. First you said, you wanted to avoid buying a router, now you're saying you want to buy one. My suggestion, buy a router, get things hooked up, get the os installed, give her a whirl, come back with questions if things aren't working.
good luck.

Sorry. Let me explain again. The cable modem can be hooked up to two computers at once - one though the USB connection, one through the ethernet connection. If Linux could use the cable modem through the USB port, there would be no need for a router because I could use the cable modem's USB connction with the Linux machine and the cable modem's ethernet connection with another computer (one with ethernet only.) But, if that wouldn't work (because Linux doesn't have a USB cable modem driver), I would need to get a router. I don't want to get one unless I have to, but if I have to, I want to go ahead and get it now. So, all I want to know is whether or not anyone has had any success using a cable modem with Linux using the USB port. Is that a little more clear?

That's a little more clear. The first problem that I see that you may encounter is from your isp. I'm almost certain you'll have to pay for an additional ip address from the isp if you try and connect in that manner. I suggest as before, you could buy a router, or a hub, or a switch, or you could connect the two machines via a crossover cable. If you go the router option, there shouldn't be a need for a usb connection. The same is true for the hub, switch, or crossover cable options, the difference being that if you use a router for access to both machines, one isn't dependant on the other for access. If you go with the hub, switch, or crossover cable options you'll have to use one of the machines as your router, in effect making access for one machine dependant on the other. Hope that clears things up.
good luck.

I understood all that before but I still don't know if Linux will work with the modem through USB. Is there a hardware compatibility database somewhere that might have that in it? I looked at the Mandrake hardware database but couldn't find it.

What I'm saying is it doesn't matter. You'll only need one machine, or the router connected to the modem. Since you'll only need one connection, use the ethernet port, and it shouldn't be a problem.
good luck.

i have a motorola surfboard sb5100, which i use with linux through the ethernet port...

i have no need to use the usb port, but i'd like to learn how to do it, for educational reasons...

if anybody has any pointers, links, or something as to what steps one could take to get the usb port access working, i'd really appreciate it...

it doesn't have to be info specifc to the surfboard, i welcome general info related to setting-up a usb internet connection...

You are not understanding this at all. Forget it.

spaaarky21 -- I understand that you might be frustrated by the situation but being rude to people who are trying to help you is totally uncalled for, and is not welcome at this site. Please don't behave like this here at LQ.

Re-reading this thread from the very beginning still leads to the very first suggestion that Peacedog made -- "Have you tried the usb connection just to see if you can get it working?" That sounds like excellent advice to me. You haven't indicated whether you've actually taken a few minutes to simply try out this simple experiment, and so my question to you is just: Rather than spend even more time seeking out opinions as to whether or not you can get connect 2 computers to your modem simultaneously, with one on the USB port and the other on Ethernet (which is how I interpreted your question) why not just give it a shot and see how it goes? Also, even though it's not exactly the same model as yours, have you checked out this entry in the LQ HCL? It may contain information that is useful to you -- J.W.

The message was not intended to be rude but I can see how it would come across like that with only text to read.

As for simply trying the modem, if you reread the thread again, you will see that my system (which is usually a dual boot system) only has Windows installed at the moment. If I had Linux installed, I certainly would have tried it already. At the time I posted, I had the opportunity to get a router for a great price. If I knew Linux supported the USB cable modem connection, there would be no need for it and I could save my money. If it wasn't compatible (if there weren't Linux drivers), I would go ahead and grab it up while I could. All I wanted to know was whether or not Linux supported a certain piece of hardware (the modem.) I heard some good suggestions about setting the Linux machine up as a router but never got a response to the question I asked. However, the link that you provided was exactly what I was looking for. I am pretty sure that my SB5120 is just a small variation/improvement on the SB5100 mentioned in the link. It's odd that neither are listed in Mandrake's hardware database. Thanks for the link. I appreciate it.

Hi, my apologies for not being more clear, but I did understand your question. I also read into the question that you were interested in saving money. What I was trying to explain is that most likely it's a "pay me now, or pay me later" situation. If you are even able to connect two machines to the same modem and gain access, you most likely would find a charge of some sort from your isp, hence "pay me later". With all that said, I hope you find an acceptable solution, in my humble opinion, with your concerns about the computers being independant, the router is most likely your best bet. I hope something here has helped.
good luck.

I haven't read the foregoing very carefully, but would like to state that you can connect with a USB cable modem with linux. I am connected at this minute with a surfboard usb cable modem, SB4100.
You must have the usbnet module set up in your kernel; I use Mandrake 10, with kernel 2.6.3, but I also had it running with the 2.4 kernel version. From memory I just used the mandrake network gui to set it up.
I also have a network card/hub in this machine, which connects to other network cards in my home network, to enable internet connection sharing.
regards,
putting

That's good to hear. Motorola said that it wasn't supported but I guess what they really meant was "we're not going to help you if it doesn't work" for liability's sake. I should be re-installing Linux today so I'll give it a try. Thanks for the reply.