[SunRescue] Real ISP

[Tim Hauber]

rescue at sunhelp.org writes:
>I am about to embark on loading an Intel box with dual NICs and Linux so
>that it can masquerade the other boxes I'd like to run on the 'network.' 
>This might go beyond my ISPs expertise, but I believe that they will be
>open to what I'm doing and 'learn' from it.
>
>Others should be so fortunate.  Regards,

If only.  You seem to be one of the fortunate few.  What I have seen is
that most of the time ISP employees seem to view people who want to do
someting different (than a single Windows dial up) as "hackers" who must
have some ulterior motive, and want to rip off the ISP and or hack into
their systems.  As a general rule, they are suspicious of stuff they don't
know.  I think this atitude is going to change, especially as Linux grows
into the "consumer" market (no Linux flames, either way please) because it
does force people to relize that there is more than 1 OS.  The iMac growth
spurt from Apple is also helping this trend.  I think there will be a time
when an ISP will just give you the information they have, and leave you
alone to make it work.  I am hoping there comes a time when ISPs will even
be willing to publish information such as firewalled ports etc.  right
now, if you ask them this kind of info, many of them seem to think that
this information is sensitive security information, and not to be given to
just anybody.  I was a customer when RoadRunner Cable modems came into my
area, and we had all sorts of hassles because they had us firewalled off
on just about every port except the mail and news and web ports.  The guys
that wanted to play games had to really scream and yell to get the ports
they needed open, even IRC was a hassle, and the tech guys (all 2 of them)
at roadrunner were willing to help, but weren't allowed to help this sort
of issue.
I think this kind of paranoia is going to go away,  and ISPs will get more
open, but as far as routing IP numbers they don't own, or in some places
even giving static IP numbers, I think that will always be a problem in
most places.  I think many of the small first level ISPs, the guys that
sell home dial up service, not only don't know how to route, they don't
even own or maintain a router, that is part of the package they buy from
the guy up the line.  That guy up the line probably isn't all that
interested in some guy that wants to just have his IP numbers run to his
house, they make their money with the full service package, you know, the
router, maintenance and support all on one convenient bill,  which is what
we don't want, we just want an open pipe that has our stuff routed into
the other end.

We are just to smart to be satisfied with what we can get, and to
small/poor to get what we want. :-)

And yes, I am mildly disgruntled with the whole home access situation in
my area.

Tim