gEDA-user: OT: FPGAs, SDSL, Ronjas...

[msokolov@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Sokolov)]

Karel Kulhavy <clock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> When the ISP detects this,

Do you think that ISPs have nothing better to do than go into the low
level debug features of their DSLAMs, look at individual packets in hex
etc. to detect that I started using a different implementation of their
line management protocol?

> he can change the standard

Well, we have a precedent already: @#$%^&* Verizon has decided to
decommission their own nice solid Enterprise DSL network (built with
Copper Mountain DSLAMs) and reduce to reselling crappy Covad service.
Covad uses Nokia DSLAMs.  They are now connecting all new customers
through Covad even where they have previously had their own DSLAMs.
I don't know what'll happen to the existing customers on the old CM
network, but I won't be surprised if one nice day they force them to
switch.  Doesn't matter for me though as my SDSL line is already of the
Nokia/Covad flavor since the last physical relocation of the facilities.
(I don't know if it's because they had already started their diabolical
plan then or because this rural location has never had Enterprise DSL to
begin with.)

As for the relic Copper Mountain DSLAMs, I've just bought one on eBay
and am now waiting for the UPS man.

> and then you have
> to do the work once more again.

Which is where the FPGA saves the day again.  That's what field-
programmable is all about: change the hardware with vi and make.

> Or he puts "only original modem from the
> ISP is allowed" into the contract.

They probably do already, but how are they going to enforce it?  The
worst they can do is not provide me with tech support for a modem of my
own design, but that's rather obvious.  They won't disconnect me -- as
long as I pay the bill they don't give a damn about anything else.  I'm
perfectly free to experiment with unsupported hw/sw/fw at my own risk.

> Or what if the ISP starts to telling you what you can do and what you can't?
> For example, my ISP Cablecom Switzerland says in the contract: [...]

If my ISP were like that, I wouldn't be their customer!  Although of
course not all business customers are the same and I can't expect
exactly the same treatment as their T3, OC12 etc. customers, it still IS
a business service, and restrictions like you describe are unheard of on
mission-critical business Internet services -- at least the kind of
business Internet services that I would ever subscribe to.

> What is more reliably is getting rid of the abominable ISP and taking the whole
> infrastructure into your hands. All you need is my device called Ronja
> [...]
> Of course you don't get an Internet connection with this, but if you find
> more neightbour of friends you can make a LAN

Rather useless for me as there's nothing but horses and cows in a 20 km
radius of my facility.  I'm rather amazed that we have a Covad DSLAM
here.  Are Americans now spoiled to the point that even horses and cows
can't live without high speed Internet any more?

> and then connect with some
> professional-grade connection.

Aha!  You still need the professional-grade connection!  That's what my
SDSL is -- professional-grade connection, non-profit organisation
budget-appropriate.

Of course I would never do a project like this for a consumer service
like ADSL or DOCSIS -- but _S_DSL is a different story.

> Do something else instead :)

Let's just agree that we have different interests in life, and leave it
at that.

MS,
who wants to get back to drawing OSDCU schematics


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