[PLUG] ISP near Gresham

[Russell Senior]

>>>>> "Lou" == Lou  <knight4light at gmail.com> writes:

Lou> Hi guys. I would like to know your opinion and experiences with ISP
Lou> near Gresham. I recently moved to zip code 97230.  What is the best
Lou> ISP that will let me use my own modem and router? I like to tink
Lou> and install custom firmwares like DD-WRT and LibreCMC.

The ILEC in Gresham is Frontier, I think (I don't live in Gresham, so
that's a guess).  I don't know what Frontier does on fiber.  Comcast is
almost certainly also available there.

On Comcast, you have a choice to either own or rent the modem.  However,
in either case, Comcast controls the modem.  If you connect your own,
the first 15 minutes after plugging it in is occupied with Comcast
updating the firmware with their own.  If you want control, the thing to
do is a) buy the cable modem; b) get one with no wireless interfaces;
and c) use the modem in the default bridging mode and plug in your own
router on your side of the modem.

In CenturyLink land, where I reside, you can sometimes (depending on
where you live) get fiber.  With fiber, they install a thing called an
ONT (optical network termination).  In CL-land, the ONT provides an
ethernet connection to you, however, they talk over VLAN 201, and you
need to run pppoe over that VLAN to connect to the internet.  They will
sell you or rent you a router that does that, but you can also connect
your own gateway that can do VLANs on the WAN interface.  Most
consumer-off-the-shelf routers with stock firmware don't do that.  You
will need the pppoe username/password for your account for that to work.
I have set up a number of these on CL fiber.  Many CL reps won't
understand that you can use your own device and can avoid using theirs,
probably because in their world that is a fringe case.


-- 
Russell Senior, President
russell at personaltelco.net