[PLUG] Linux with Iqara / YOU

[श्रीधर नारायण दैठणकर]

On Sunday 03 December 2006 11:53, Nishit Dave wrote:
> On 12/3/06, श्रीधर नारायण दैठणकर <ghodechhap at ghodechhap.net> wrote:
> > Anything that works on pppoe at least, which has many ISPs.
> >
> > What exactly do you mean linux friendly? Can connect using linux? Many of
> > them can be connected that way.
>
> As in where they provide *some* support with configuration /
> troubleshooting.  Something where you don't have to wait for half an
> hour with fingers crossed to know if pppoe will succeed in making the
> connection, so that you can shoot that mail before you left for work.

I think you can safely forget that. Not because you are linux, mind you. In 
general there are several things  that are problematic.

- There is no guarantee that network will be up.
This is on several parts. 

If one has to jump 10-12 switches before reaching the nearest ISP server and 
any of those switches are in black out, thanks to MSEB, then you face a dead 
wire. I have had a neighbouring switch which was in a office, turned on at 9 
and switched off at 6. I can't express my frustration enough. Flexi timings, 
9-6.. :)

ISPs can't put all their switches on UPS obviously. Some customer has to 
extend a favour for that..

At the same time, ISPs don't take care of the infrastructure enough. I have 
seen more switch blownouts that I can personally allow for. Heavy rains can 
screw it up. And it is upto some guy who does not value network availability 
to fix it.

- Server infrastructure
The DNS put out by ISPs are usually pathetic, if not fast enough for the load. 
If they run on windows, even more so. So if your network is up but the 
RAS/pppoe server on ISP side is bogged down, good luck.

I don't know how ISPs do transparent proxying but my ISP does not seem to be 
doing much of it. Trivial contents like images and adds could save a lot of 
BW by means of local caching.. 

- Quality of service is not guaranteed either.

It matters for things like DNS lookups, voice call latency so on and so forth. 
If the network stays up but doesn't deliver, it is painful as well.

- Administration
It is pain, at least for me for renewing my monthly/quarterly connection. I 
get very good experience at one office and very bad at another. Dutifully the 
connections in one area can only be renewed in the same area. So.. I am 
stuck..

And once this works, one has to figure out how much ISP tech. support knows 
about linux. 

One network admin once asked me for NTFS write support in linux because he 
wanted a writable windows share, shared via samba. I was crying on the 
phone.. ;)

> Otherwise, the hacks will remain hacks, not evolve into ferraris.
> Anyways, did you notice that Tata Indicom, Youtele, etc. all cost
> approximately the same?  No competition at work here, everybody
> charges TRAI's standard rates (I think).  Yet, youtele's nightly plan
> seems interesting.

I pay 550/- for a month, 10GB download quota, 256kbps, 512 kbps at night from 
exatt. And I am happy with the plan. Couldn't have asked for more except 
above mentioned troubles.

When you ask such a support in linux, the assumption is it is available for 
windows. Actually it isn't .

Regards
 Shridhar