On Wednesday 18 January 2006 10:33, Jon maddog Hall wrote: ... > So if you want to download music, etc. you can get the lower-cost DSL > service. > > But if you want to run a business and have a web server...you pay. > > Just a guess, but an educated one. > > md
Just got set up with Fios, and I did call and grill them on the very point of the prohibition of running any server. I've got an interesting reaction. The person at Verizon Fios emphasized that what they meant is installing and running a "server class" computer at your home. I grilled her specifically about running a website off of a *workstation*, and she indicated to me that that would be perfectly OK, along with FTP, P2P, or anything else us geeks hold so dear. So it seems to me that Bill is somewhat correct in stating that they simply don't want you becoming the next eBay or whatever. They don't want YOU, the consumer or residential guy becoming Ev1 or RackSpace on their lines. Well, I do have some intentions of doing something similar. So I also inquired about sitting up a SONET ring, etc. off of that connection, and this is where the lights started going out with the person I spoke with. Basically I was told such things are *probably* possible, but would be "much more expensive", and that I would need to talk to a different department. Well yeah, I could've guess it would be "much more expensive". Duh. I just wanted ballpark dollar amount so I could see if it would fit in with my current operations. She could not give me that. They have a few tiers of "business class" service, where you can get a static IP address and somewhat higher bandwidth, though it remains asymmetric. Best you can do it seems is a 30mbit down/ 5mbit up. Be that as it may, I am simply floored that Verizon was able to solve the "last mile" problem at all. They installed fibre right up to a box in my basement which converts the telephone and Internet connection to whatever needs to go across that fabric. They also went to great lengths with running CAT5 to my home office, fishing the cable through walls, and the like -- all for free. Also to my delight they took down the ugly mess of wires I had accumulated over the years with past frame-relay, ISDN, DSL, and multiple POTS phone lines running from the utility pole to my house. They were very professional and courteous and got the job *done*. A new leaf for Verizon service, considering what I experienced with them in the past. It was even more to my delight to see that the Fios is *much faster* than my Comcast broadband connection. I will be happy to cut ties with Comcast completely once I am confident the Fios stuff is stable. Comcast gave me hell recently about having port 80 open on my line (I was running a test web server and left it open) as well as spooking me out about knowing I was running multiple ssh connections *on a different port other than 22* and some other things as well. What, they were monitoring my connection and sniffing my packets????? I am *so glad* my email goes out encrypted across an ssl connection between my workstations and my dedicated servers. Those clowns would probably be reading my email otherwise. Everything I do beyond web browsing goes out encrypted, even my NNTP newsgroup activities. Not that I am doing anything untoward; it is just that I don't want anyone other than the intended recipients reading my stuff! And since some of it is of a political nature, I remain especially concerned. Just because I may be paranoid does not mean they are not out to get me!!!!!!! Of course, I could set up a VPN and even my web browsing will be covered as well. Hmmm.... Not that I trust Verizon anymore than I do Comcast, but Comcast went out of their way to bother me about specific ports, forcing me to close them or else loose service. Since my Internet service *is* my bread and butter these days, I don't do well with threats like that. Verizon categorically stated they would not have any problems with such. Also, Verizon Fios will be costing me considerably less than Comcast. Comcast forces you to also have cable service which I have no interest in -- bloody nothing worth watching anymore, and the few times I do see something worth watching does not justify the cost. Besides I can download them with BitTorrent if I must. Fios will be much cheaper, is much faster, and much more permissive in how you use the service despite the "boiler plate" language in their service contract. I am told by the technicians who installed the Fios that I am the 2nd person in my local neighborhood to have it, and apparently the first one "on the block", or street in my case. So I may be a bit smug about it. ;-) Oh, and about the OS support: There is a "registration" process that requires IE on Windows, and apparently this is to set up your Verizon email and some other Internet services with Verizon that I have no interest in. Since I run Linux on my workstation and forbid anyone else in my household from running IE, I did not go through this step. It turns out it is not necessary for the service. And I certainly don't want Verizon's spyware installed on any machine in my house! Well, I don't know it's really spyware or not, but I am paranoid, recall? I am always extremely suspicious of software installs where none should be needed. Verizon, for whatever the reason, is still gun-ho on PPPoE, but since most routers of today can handle that, setup was not a problem. Also, they offer as a part of the deal a wireless router but I already had mine and was unwilling to use theirs. The tech told me that if there were ever any problems they may insist I hook theirs up for testing. Oh well. So I am very happy with my 5mbit down/ 2mbit up connection, and so far it's been very stable and very fast. Since I routinely transfer data to and from my home workstations and my laptop at Internet Cafes so I can actually get out of the house and smell the coffee with my development work, the 2mbit up is quite nice, allowing me to run CVS much faster than before. The conversion box they installed in my basement required a electrical connection and it also has its own UPS. I found a convenient spot on the basement wall for them to hook this all up, and from there they ran a wire into my attic and down into my home office, which was nice of them. Well, that's about it. I recommend going Fios and joining the 21st century with fibre for you Internet connection and phone service. Verizon also states, for you TV junkies, they will be offering TV service in the future on that fibre. I don't know much more than that and don't really care, but Crumcast had better watch out as they could be on their way out if Verizon keeps doing the right thing. I also note that the techs that installed the service must not have been unionized, since they were actually *good* at what they did and was willing to go "the extra mile" to bring fibre the last mile to my home. - (A very happy) Fred, now a 21st century nerd. _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss
