[olug] New COX managed network bad for Linux

[Dave Homan]

>1) Since the @Home bankruptcy COX is switching to a COX managed network.
True. cox will have it's own physical network, as well as mail 
servers...yadda yadda.  They even have a network engineer position open up 
on careerlink.org if you're interested.

>2) It is giving them (COX) a hard time with the conversion. We (COX
>customers) will receive a conversion kit in the mail. (TRUE)
>3) The new 'kit' is software that is installed on the customer PC.

Yes, kit contains:
   1.  windows/mac cd for chaning outlook express settings and installing a 
little diagnostic tool (not necessary to install)
   2.  documentation on how to use neat features of the internet such as 
"email" or "browsers".
   3.  authentication code for switching your email over from @home.com to 
@cox.net stuff.

>4) The computer addressing method will not use a computer name to uniquely
>ID each machine. It will be as part of the software which is for Windows
>machines only.
DHCP will work like this.  Cox will know what your modem's mac address is.  
Cox will say "we will allow 1,2, or 3 individual mac addresses on at any one 
time connected to that modem directly".  Cox does not need to know the mac 
addresses of anything behind the modem.  For instance, I have 4 pc's each 
with mac addresses A, B, C, and D.  I have pc's A and B hooked up to a hub 
hooked up to the modem.  Both pc's are browsing slashdot.org just like 
normal.  I add pc C.  the modem says "ok, a 3rd mac address, I'll allow it 
to connect" and a technomagical wand gets waved and 3rd pc gets ip address 
DHCP.  Ok, so 4th pc, D, is added.  the modem says "ok, I already have 3 
pc's online, so I will not allow this 4th mac address an ip address".  At 
least, this was how it was explained to me.

>5) The IP address of the machine will work on a 6 hour lease. You are only
>guarenteed to have the same IP for one 6 hour period at a time.
true.

>6) "People with Linksys equipment are out of luck."
false false false false.  routers and nic's on machines other than windows 
boxes all have MAC addresses, so will be allowed to get ip addresses 
regardless of OS.

>I still want to get an official clarifacation from COX before I start
>getting real angry.
Well, this isn't an "official" response from cox, but this makes a whole lot 
more sense than ONLY allowing boxes running windoze to connect.

>What do you all think? Provided it is true, should we notify the larger
>Linux community and start a letter campaign?
if it were true, I would definitely do that but I don't think this is going 
to be the case.


-dave

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