[ale] DSL Modems

[Bjorn Dittmer-Roche]

Hey all,

	I am new to the Atlanta Area (and, therefore, ale). Of course, the
first thing I needed was DSL. I used to have Verizon DSL (which used
PPPoE) and just switched to SpeakEasy (Static IP for the same price!).
SpeakEasy told me my old equipment wouldn't work because it only supports
PPPoE. This seemed weird to me because I thought the modem's only job was
to convert Ethernet signals to something that could pass over the phone
lines and knew nothing of higher lever protocols such as PPPoE, but I said
OK.  After I set up the DSL, I got the idea to switch in my old modem and
it works fine (it feels a bit slow, but I didn't benchmark it). Since
speakeasy charges $200 (yikes!) for their modem kit, I've repacked it and
was about to call them to return it when it occurred to me that maybe just
because it works doesn't mean it works. So I looked it up online and it
turns out that DSL modems are sold with and without PPPoE features which
means that:

1. I just got lucky with a modem that does both. IE. It works and it's
saving me 200 clams so I should just stop asking questions.
or
2. I will eventually have problems with my modem.
or
3. Something else.

Either way, I just looked on PC connection and I can buy modems with
routers for less than 200 bucks so it seems I should return Speak Easy's
modem no matter what.  Still, my question remains: if my old modem seems
to work, could anything possibly be wrong? If so, should I buy a new,
compatible modem?

Thanks,

	bjorn
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