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Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

techguy
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Registered: ‎12-09-2008

Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Hi
Did wonder whether such things existed but research indicates they do so does anyone use one and what do you reckon to them?
Was just thinking of puttting one inside when I upgrade my PC thus thus removing a box from beneath my desk.
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HPsauce
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

I wouldn't.
PC's are designed to plug in to networks. Keep it separate - KISS.
techguy
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Yes, changing an add-in card can be a pain.
7up
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: HPsauce
I wouldn't.
PC's are designed to plug in to networks. Keep it separate - KISS.

Only in recent years. Before that PCI expansion was always the way to go. Heck I even ripped out an ISA network card from an old machine recently - ISA.
I've nothing against an internal PCI DSL modem myself. The only thing I do dislike about it is when you reinstall windows its yet another bit of hardware you need to find a CD for to get working again. THAT is the real pain IMO.
I certainly don't like USB DSL modems though. Ok they work but the one PN supplied had a habit of disconnecting in the middle of the night during a p2p session... of course that was the only time of day PN had enough bandwidth to spare for p2p too. I gave up in the end. Switched to a proper router (cheap thing off ebay for £8) and I've stayed with that since. I must admit it is easier to use a router if you've got more than 2 computers unless you want to have a dedicated ICS machine.
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samuria
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

They do work well but the danger is you are live on the internet  not like a router were you have NAT to protect you. They can be a pain to setup and yes if you reinstall you need the cd again.
The other thing is you have to dial up which can be a pain or handy depending on what you want.
Performance wise they work fine
techguy
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Yeah of course, yet more bleedin' drivers!
And of course no NAT, yeah will stick with a router methinks.
7up
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

NAT doesn't really matter though as the local computer it is installed in will simply use the detected DNS servers for outbound connections. For incoming data there is only that 1 computer anyway... So why would you need NAT?
If you were however to have more than 1 computer then you could setup ICS and the host computer then automatically throws in the NAT feature anyway. You don't even realise its doing it.
There is way too much emphasis on NAT. Any device hardware or software that provides an internet connection sharing feature provides NAT as standard these days.
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samuria
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

The reason for NAT is security with a pci modem your pc has the external ip address live on the internet and so is open to everyone to scan and attack. With NAT the router is live on the internet and your pc has another IP which cant be reached directly from the internet. With hackers port scanning loads of IP if you have a modem you are in danger if your have any weakness
techguy
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

And no matter how good any software is, it will always have a weakness
7up
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: samuria
The reason for NAT is security with a pci modem your pc has the external ip address live on the internet and so is open to everyone to scan and attack. With NAT the router is live on the internet and your pc has another IP which cant be reached directly from the internet. With hackers port scanning loads of IP if you have a modem you are in danger if your have any weakness

All I've said is that using a PCI modem you don't need to worry about it. I also said that routers have it built in as standard. Infact the reason for NAT isn't security as you put it. It was originally intended to allow multiple computers to share one public IP address and thus slow down the available number of public IPs being used up. The security aspect of it being a seperate layer between a PC and the internet was an additional bonus. In some routers it acts as a firewall and in others they have a dedicated firewall within the router. Some routers don't have a firewall as such but just don't accept or respond to unknown traffic - in effect a firewall but it isn't acknowledged or sold as 'having' a firewall.
I'll say it again, people make too much fuss about NAT. It's there by default with every router. Use ICS on a host computer it also sets up NAT. It's just there and does its job silently without any fuss. I can never understand why people have to ask "Does it have NAT?". It's included as standard with anything that can share an internet connection these days. Using a normal PC is fine as long as you have a decent software firewall. Infact thats all a router runs anyway - a basic software firewall.
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VileReynard
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: okrzynska
I can never understand why people have to ask "Does it have NAT?". It's included as standard with anything that can share an internet connection these days. Using a normal PC is fine as long as you have a decent software firewall. Infact thats all a router runs anyway - a basic software firewall.

Except a PCI modem  Smiley
Get a router to do a dedicated task - all routers come with NAT - and most have a real firewall.

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7up
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: axisofevil
Quote from: okrzynska
I can never understand why people have to ask "Does it have NAT?". It's included as standard with anything that can share an internet connection these days. Using a normal PC is fine as long as you have a decent software firewall. Infact thats all a router runs anyway - a basic software firewall.

Except a PCI modem  Smiley

But thats just it. You setup Windows to perform Internet Connection Sharing and it DOES use NAT. You just don't realise this as Windows takes care of it in the backround.
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James
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: techguy
Did wonder whether such things existed but research indicates they do so does anyone use one and what do you reckon to them?

They're a pain.
Used to get loads of calls from customers using Conexant PCI modems and they were generally a bit of a nuisance.  I really don't see the value in using them as they're probably not supporrted anymore and a pain to install when you could get a USB modem or use a router instead.
jelv
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

Quote from: okrzynska
But thats just it. You setup Windows to perform Internet Connection Sharing and it DOES use NAT. You just don't realise this as Windows takes care of it in the backround.

That applies to other PCs connecting via ICS, but does it also apply to the PC with the modem?
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techguy
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Re: Anyone use a PCI ADSL modem

It applies to PCs sitting behind the PC running ICS which is providing NAT, so that PC is exposed to the net while the others are afforded some protection by NAT.