Setting up Verizon DSL on FC3 WITHOUT using their CD
 

Hi everybody,

I just signed up for Verizon DSL the other day, and they'll have it installed in a few days. I'm running a dual-boot Fedora Core 3 and Windows XP. I also have a W2k Laptop. The router/modem they sent me was a Westell 327W.

What I want to know is if I can not use Verizon's CD to do my setup without bending over backwards. It, of course, isn't compatible with FC3. I'm not too trusting of these "automatically setting up" CD packages. In my experience, they put a whole pile of crap that you don't need on your machine.

What do you guys who are using Linux boxes only (no Windows computers in sight) do to get set up with Verizon?

Thanks!

From the info I gathered on the web this is a modem/router so you do not need any special software to connect to the internet. Use the FC3 network wizard to setup a regular LAN using DHCP. Set the gateway address to the routers local IP address. The default is 192.168.1.1.

Hmmm,

I set up the DSL last night. When I first tried with my Linux box, doing the usual things that are outlined in the above post from michaelk (which should work), nothing happened. I broke down and fired up the Verizon install CD on my windows laptop. As I had guessed, it was rather invasive. Spy Bot's Tea Timer went bonkers. The setup program tried to change my home page in IE, and tried to add 2 different tool bars. If you add enough tool bars, can you still see any internet content? Nixed that part. (good ol' Spy Bot) Verizon also "helpfully" set up Outlook Express for me. Never mind that I never use it! Worst of all, I had a moment of panic when they changed the router's user name and password! I couldn't access the controls inside the router until I figured out what happened, and logged in using my Verizon login. As far as I can tell, you actually activate your account from the CD. After going through all the Verizon rigamorole, Linux would connect as it should.

As an aside, the CD was hilarious. It went over in excruciating, graphic detail about how to plug your telephone into the wall, and how to plug in an ethernet cable. A few weekends ago, it came up on a NPR radio show that the first question that AOL technicians ask of people callng in for support on all those free CDs they send out is: "Okay, do you have a computer?" It seems that some people were putting the CDs in their stereos and assuming that they would somehow get connected to the internet! :scratch:

I'm guessing that this is the motivation behind Verizon's "internet for dummies" approach to setting up the account. I just wish that they had a way to connect for those of us who don't have their heads up their butts. If anybody has any ideas, I'm sure that there are some other folks out there with no Windows computers to work with.