[sf-lug] (forw) Re: SF-LUG meeting notes for Monday April 16th 2018

[Daniel Gimpelevich]

On Wed, 2018-04-18 at 18:01 -0700, Rick Moen wrote:
> Nice unit, assuming (as Daniel points out) you have ADSL2+ service and
> don't 
> need backward-compatibility.  Here's the other one Daniel mentioned,
> that does ADSL2: https://www.netgear.com/support/product/dm200.asp
> 
> Are you implying that your DSLExtreme service imposes a requirement to
> use PPPoE client software?  Personally, I'd be at some pains to avoid
> that constraint, when ISP-shopping.

DSLExtreme has different "brands" of service:
1) Standard DSL, which is G.DMT (ADSL1) service over an existing voice
line from the local ILEC, be it Verizon or AT&T,
2) Fusion DSL, which is ADSL2+ (or possibly VDSL2 if you live near the
CO) service over a voice line from SONoma InterConnect (SONIC), and
3) trueSTREAM High-Speed Internet, which is 802.1x-authenticated VDSL2
to the nearest of AT&T's VRAD nodes instead of to the CO, without voice
service except for an optional VoIP add-on from DSLExtreme's (possibly
former) sister company, Broadwing.

#1 and #2 are no longer available in AT&T-served areas, but existing
users, such as Bobbie and Mikki, are grandfathered in. DSLExtreme has
never used PPPoE except in Verizon-served areas (required there), and #1
is the only service DSLExtreme has in those areas. I beta-tested ADSL2+
for DSLExtreme in 2004-2005, after which, a decision was made not to
deploy it over AT&T lines. I fired DSLExtreme as my ISP in 2012.

In areas of Northern California where the ILEC is neither AT&T nor
Verizon, the only DSL available is from the ILEC itself, much to
Comcast's joy.