[davelissa]

Thanks for all the information:

I think there's a thread somewhere here to shows one how to set up the connection without BV's setup, but I guess that would mean forgoing BV finding the best connection for you from it's three access point. I don't want BV to even have the chance of taking over my SPA. Ha!

Of course, I'm talking layman's language, but hopefully you understand what I'm talking about!

Anyhow, it seems our globe-trotting friend in Egypt has found a way to do that!

Dave

BTW: I found my computer has only one Ethernet port, and my modem only allows one port (USB or Ethernet) to be used at a time. The IP shown on my computer is the same as the IP given at websites, so I guess the modem doesn't act as a router (it doesn't act as a firewall either). Seems like SPA-2100 is the way to go.

[davelissa]

Hi, PhoneBoy,

I just looked at your website - very nice indeed!

About your information on BroadVoice, BV now charges two tax fees as given in their FAQ:

"......We charge 3% Federal Excise Tax on all service charges. We also charge a Regulatory Recovery Fee of $1.50 per phone number in your account Directory Assistance (411) which costs 99

[rizsher]

Dave, As I said, you could use the USB port on the modem to connect to the desktop, and the ethernet port on the desktop to connect to the SPA. Not sure how the SPA2100 is, I use a SPA3000, and its amazing, forwarding calls to my cellphoen when I'm away from home, calling in to the SPA to make international calls.

Also, the voxilla.com configurator does a good job of confirguring SPA2-3k. Not sure if the 2100 is there yet. You can enter your details on the setup page for spa3000, click on apply.. .the configurator then displays a confirmation page displaying the various settings. You can then implement them on your 2100.

[davelissa]

Hi, Riz.

I tried that last night, it didn't work; if I use the USB connection first, the ethernet port doesn't give a signal, and vice versa. Guess my modem doesn't support it or RR don't want people to do that :-(

Shall definitely try to use the SPA3k configuration when I get my SPA2100. Thanks a million!

Dave

[rizsher]

U STILL don't get me dave.!!!, you will not be using the ethernet port of the modem. Connect the modem using the USB to your PC. The PC will now have its Ethernet port available. Run Windows ICS on the computer. Now you can connect any ethernet device to the desktops ethernet port - Just make sure you use a CROSSOVER cable, which is different from a regular network cable.

[davelissa]

Originally Posted by rizsher

U STILL don't get me dave.!!!, you will not be using the ethernet port of the modem. Connect the modem using the USB to your PC. The PC will now have its Ethernet port available. Run Windows ICS on the computer. Now you can connect any ethernet device to the desktops ethernet port - Just make sure you use a CROSSOVER cable, which is different from a regular network cable.

Ahhhh...*hitting head on the keyboard*!

I shall definitely try that; seems I can get a crossover cable for about $3.

I don't know whether I will implement it permenantly, though; I sometimes reboot my computer and I'm sure the connection will go "phut" when I do.

I shall definitely experiment, though, and thanks for the tip!

Dave

[mberlant]

Any time two or more devices need to share one common pipe a router is required. This is true even if "Tonight the part of the Router will be played by Microsoft ICS running on my PC." This is also why it is highly unlikely that your modem will support simultaneous use of its Ethernet and USB ports.

[rizsher]

mberlant: atleast 2 products which let u use the 2 ports concurrently: http://netgear.com/products/details/DG632.php#all and Zoom X4 at http://www.zoom.com/products/adsl_overview.html. Windows ICS acting as a router still wouldn't a router . Dave, I'm not sure if Rrunner is DSL or Cable, but you can surely find a modem for either flavours of broadband that does it. Though I would definitely recommend a router, specifically the Linksys WRT54GS, this little baby with the Sveasoft firmware does wonders for VoIP. You won't have to worry about stopping downloads/browsing etc while you're on the phone.

[mberlant]

Rizsher, you have proved my point, which is that you cannot share a line without a router. Both external products you mention, the Netgear and the Zoom, have integrated routers. Windows ICS is a router implemented in software.

They all have several things in common which makes them routers. They all allow more than one client to access the internet over the single IP address provided by your ISP. They all provide management of the internal LAN IP numbering scheme, including providing these addresses to clients via DHCP. They all dynamically manage the mapping of TCP and UDP ports requested by LAN clients to ones that are available for use on the WAN side.

Modems with both Ethernet and USB connections that do not have these router functions implemented in their firmware cannot support simultaneous use of the two ports because only a router can differentiate between the various clients connected to the two different ports.

Now, I do agree with you that the best solution is in using a dedicated standalone router to perform router functions. I can still remember exponential boost in performance I experienced when I replaced my modem sharing software with my first U-Gate router in 1995. They're even better now.

[rizsher]

Since its the weekend, and in my sad, 1 week before the wedding existance, I got nothing better to do, lets continue this, I'm sure I'll learn a thing or two.

For me, a router is a physical piece of hardware; that not only provides you a way to share a network connection, but also extra like firewall, port forwarding,, triggering, (now) QOS, content blocking. ICS doesnt do any of those. ICS doesn't dynamically manage any port mapping, you need uPNP for that (avalable only in WinXP??).ICS is more like a switch than a router??...

Again, this is only the explanation I've created in my head for myself, Windows ICS is not really a router in s/ware, its only NAT implemented in s/ware.

But, yes, both achieve the same result at a basic level.