Remote connecting of Modem

  • Thread starter Thread starter Danf
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Danf

Hi All

I use a USB modem to access a wireless broadband server and have to
"connect" to use, my wife uses ICS to connect over the network but can
only access if I have initiated the connection.
My question is, is there a way that my wife can initiate the connection
by enabling the modem from her workstation, rather than coming into my
office and starting the connection. I don't leave the modem connected
all the time because it accumulates usage and I have only 1GB before I
have to pay extra.

Any advice welcome

DanF
 
Danf said:
Hi All

I use a USB modem to access a wireless broadband server and have to
"connect" to use, my wife uses ICS to connect over the network but can
only access if I have initiated the connection.
My question is, is there a way that my wife can initiate the connection
by enabling the modem from her workstation, rather than coming into my
office and starting the connection. I don't leave the modem connected
all the time because it accumulates usage and I have only 1GB before I
have to pay extra.

Any advice welcome

DanF
Click to expand...

An important distinction is, what service/protocol is this ? And
is there a proprietary lock-in via the hardware the provider rents
to you ? If perfectly open standards are used, that might make it
easier to find a solution.

The following device uses an EVDO wireless PC card, plugged into a wireless
router. It would allow more than one person to communicate with the
router (via 802.11b/g). (Being a Luddite, I'd probably want wired
ports for my expensive Internet service, just so I could use the
"flashing LAN lights" to see what is going on. If the device
kepts stats, like incoming and outgoing byte count, so much the
better. Mine only records packets and not bytes.)

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/wireless/kyocera-kr1-evdo-portable-router-177485.php

One question would be, would this be avoiding any "secondary Family
SharePlan" charges ? Reading one website offering wireless broadband,
they seem to place quite a few restrictions on the service. Maybe that
is why they gave you a USB modem, rather than hardware suitable for
sharing ? In theory, they shouldn't be able to figure out that two
computers are sharing the link, due to NAT. But large ISPs do now possess
hardware that allows them to "peer into the payload", and they can
detect unencrypted BitTorrent for example. I'm unaware of any
dedicated hardware that detects sharing.

Before buying the above device, I'd want to make sure it has "connect
on demand" capability, so it doesn't run up charges when you
aren't looking. Or maybe just use a manual connect option if it
has one. (My router is "manual connect" and each day after I
power it up, I tell it to connect. My previous router autoconnected
and didn't have an option to do otherwise.) So there are
a few things I'd want to look at, in any user manual you could
find and download from the router maker's website.

Paul
 
Paul said:
Danf wrote:-
Hi All

I use a USB modem to access a wireless broadband server and have to
"connect" to use, my wife uses ICS to connect over the network but
can
only access if I have initiated the connection.
My question is, is there a way that my wife can initiate the
connection
by enabling the modem from her workstation, rather than coming into
my
office and starting the connection. I don't leave the modem connected
all the time because it accumulates usage and I have only 1GB before
I
have to pay extra.

Any advice welcome

DanF
-

An important distinction is, what service/protocol is this ? And
is there a proprietary lock-in via the hardware the provider rents
to you ? If perfectly open standards are used, that might make it
easier to find a solution.

The following device uses an EVDO wireless PC card, plugged into a
wireless
router. It would allow more than one person to communicate with the
router (via 802.11b/g). (Being a Luddite, I'd probably want wired
ports for my expensive Internet service, just so I could use the
"flashing LAN lights" to see what is going on. If the device
kepts stats, like incoming and outgoing byte count, so much the
better. Mine only records packets and not bytes.)

http://tinyurl.com/22msbf

One question would be, would this be avoiding any "secondary Family
SharePlan" charges ? Reading one website offering wireless broadband,
they seem to place quite a few restrictions on the service. Maybe that
is why they gave you a USB modem, rather than hardware suitable for
sharing ? In theory, they shouldn't be able to figure out that two
computers are sharing the link, due to NAT. But large ISPs do now
possess
hardware that allows them to "peer into the payload", and they can
detect unencrypted BitTorrent for example. I'm unaware of any
dedicated hardware that detects sharing.

Before buying the above device, I'd want to make sure it has "connect
on demand" capability, so it doesn't run up charges when you
aren't looking. Or maybe just use a manual connect option if it
has one. (My router is "manual connect" and each day after I
power it up, I tell it to connect. My previous router autoconnected
and didn't have an option to do otherwise.) So there are
a few things I'd want to look at, in any user manual you could
find and download from the router maker's website.

Paul
Click to expand...

Hi Paul

Thanks for response, there is no problem sharing my connection with my
ISP, Bigpond.com NextG. After reading your post I am sort of assuming
that I need a router of some description that will allow SWMBO to
"connect on demand" from her computer via the LAN. If this correct will
it replace the 8 port switch I am currently using and can you offer any
advice as to brand etc..

Thanks Dan
 
Danf said:
Hi Paul

Thanks for response, there is no problem sharing my connection with my
ISP, Bigpond.com NextG. After reading your post I am sort of assuming
that I need a router of some description that will allow SWMBO to
"connect on demand" from her computer via the LAN. If this correct will
it replace the 8 port switch I am currently using and can you offer any
advice as to brand etc..

Thanks Dan
Click to expand...

What my answer was intended to indicate, is there *are* special devices
out there, ones that handle the less common protocols. First, you need
to get the name of the protocol.

OK. When I look on Bigpond, it looks like they have an existing EVDO
network (which would have been suitable for use with the device link
I showed). But the offering you mention, NextG, seems to be something
else. NextG would be their trademark name for it.

This page suggests they want to ensure a 1:1 relationship between
user and network. The fact that only USB interface devices are
offered for usage, means you'd be stuck with your current ICS
workaround.

http://bigpond.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...2231&p_li=&p_faqid=12234&p_created=1160030980

This page maps "NextG" to HSDPA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telstra

This is HSDPA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSDPA

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/media/mediareleases_article.cfm?ObjectID=38477

This list is from Dec8,2006 and lists some HSDPA devices.
You'd want something from the "modem/router" section.

http://www.3gamericas.org/pdfs/hsdpafactsheet.pdf

But the problem will be, the bigpond.custhelp.com page mentions
not supporting third party devices. In such a scenario, another
trick would be:

1) Construct a low power PC which runs all the time.
2) Connect the USB HSDPA device to that PC. Enable ICS on
the low power PC.
3) Now, both you are your wife are clients via ICS.

Does the little USB device "dial on demand" when used on
your machine right now ? If it does, then moving it to a
third PC, will allow it to "dial on demand", any time you
or your wife's machine sends packets to the Internet. I
only hope you have enough control over the traffic on the
net, such that the connection doesn't "stay open" all the
time.

HTH,
Paul
 
Danf said:
Hi Paul

Thanks for response, there is no problem sharing my connection with my
ISP, Bigpond.com NextG. After reading your post I am sort of assuming
that I need a router of some description that will allow SWMBO to
"connect on demand" from her computer via the LAN. If this correct will
it replace the 8 port switch I am currently using and can you offer any
advice as to brand etc..

Thanks Dan
Click to expand...

Also, it just occurred to me, that if there are any local USENET
groups in your area, there may be people who have already solved
this problem. I expect there are plenty of people who wanted
to support more than one computer on the service. So there may
already be a popular solution to this problem, locally available.

Paul
 
Paul said:
Danf wrote:-

Hi Paul

Thanks for response, there is no problem sharing my connection with
my
ISP, Bigpond.com NextG. After reading your post I am sort of assuming
that I need a router of some description that will allow SWMBO to
"connect on demand" from her computer via the LAN. If this correct
will
it replace the 8 port switch I am currently using and can you offer
any
advice as to brand etc..

Thanks Dan-

Also, it just occurred to me, that if there are any local USENET
groups in your area, there may be people who have already solved
this problem. I expect there are plenty of people who wanted
to support more than one computer on the service. So there may
already be a popular solution to this problem, locally available.

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul

Thanks for your detailed response, as I have a spare laptop and
computer I will probably just use the option you suggested and leave
one of them "connected" during waking hours. Seems the easiest
alternative.

Again thanks for the time you put into your resonse.

DanF
 
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