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New Netcomm Smart i Share 56k Modem/Hub/Server
NAcker writes: "LinuxWorld.com.au has an article about a new type of 56K modem that is also a four port ethernet hub. The Netcomm Smart i-Share 56 offers DHCP and firewall services by running embedded Linux!
The article has photos of the "network in a box"." This is an interesting piece of kit, not as much of a stretch as those silly radio/flashlight hybrids from places like The Sharper Image. Now if only they would also make it a wireless access point, I would let my credit card heat up a little more. And besides, for those of us who submit to dialup, wouldn't it be nice to have a modem that runs the 2.0.38 kernel?
I've been installing and using Webramps since ~1997. This has been old technology for quite some time -- and given the list price on this "new" box, I doubt they'll be flying off the shelves :)
Of course you get root, since they're using telnet and not openssh. Just sniff the traffic.
Gawd - really!
You can get a linksys router and dsl for a year for the price of that thing!!
It does DHCP, NAT, PPPoE, setup via webpage (runs httpd), port forwarding, port blocking, static and dynamic routing, etc, etc
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So why would I pay almost $500 for one that cannot share anything but a modem and provides no print server? Because it has Linux in it? The SMC might, too, but they are smart enough not to tell that to every hacker that might be looking for an exploit!
While I find it impressive that the hardware runs Linux, NineNine is right. Internet Connection Sharing in Windows 2000 is easy. As easy as many may think IP Masq is, it is way easier than that too. Plus Windows 98SE and Me can do the same thing(though I haven't used it in those OSes, so I can't comment on how easy or reliable it is).
I have a woman and money. Life is good.
Apple's Airport will work with other vendor's wireless network adapters. They follow 802.11b.
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"-B.Franklin
I'm pretty sure the SMC hardware does all that as well, for about $120 ($30 off first time Buy.com customers makes it a sweet deal). Not sure about IPSec, but since the firmware is flashable, it certainly could. I have it at home and it's sweet (just wish I didn't have to 'install the software' on all the computers to work with the printer port- would be better if I could just install a basic driver. Maybe I can...need time to dig into it).
Kinda like Moe, but just a little more Kool
This D-Link box doesn't have a modem in it. Not sure about the SMC one.
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"-B.Franklin
This D-Link Di-704 doesn't support 802.11b Wireless network.
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"-B.Franklin
You've just described the Apple Airport Base Station which retails for $299. It can be set up to NAT & DHCP on both the wired and wireless networks, and automatically dial up an ISP over the modem.
Granted, the 10base-T port is just a host port, not a hub, but 10base-T hubs are really cheap these days.
This is a case where Apple has bundled a lot of functionality into an attractive package, and the priced it low enough to drive the market in that direction.
This is why I no longer eat popcorn while sitting at the computer.
No it is not overkill for a device like this. Linux is the only thing out there that scales down well enough with enough features to run on embedded systems and that you do not have to pay for. This is one of the things that makes devices like this possible. If they had to pay for another embedded OS the profit margin on something like this would go away. And keep in mind this is embedded Linux and it has already won in that marketplace. See the link to understand why.
Cypherpunks: Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. Those who live by the sword die by the arrow.
I've got to agree. Even before the Linksys and Netgear products, 3Com had the OfficeConnect Routers. One of the models, of which I still use at a remote site, uses NAT, DHCP, and 2 56k modems. I think the point here is that it might be amusing that this thing runs Linux, but the point is the OS is just a tool- some devices you shouldn't have to worry what OS it's running; just that it is effective at its role or not.
Considering the fact that this device appears to be more expensive than other non-Linux-based devices that perform more or less the same task, I'd say the only reason to choose this thingy is if you need the extra configurability of Linux or better security. In both cases adding SSH to the package (maybe a floppy with PuTTY or some other free SSH terminal for Windows) would seem to make sense.
Naturally, a 56 kbps connection hardly seems a prime target, but consider the possibility of using this as a dial-in connection and/or local hub for a larger LAN (which might have other Internet access). Many organisations provide dial-up access to their network, so the idea doesn't seem too far-fetched to me.
No, I don't believe you would want to. Now me on the other hand, I am seriously concidering getting rid of the high speed access and go back to the good old days of waiting forever. Watching the little icon too see if anything was moving or it was just a really big web page while wishing I had an external modem so I could watch the led's blink. My the good old days. Yes it would be so easy to just go back to the old slow days.
Slap - Ok, now that I've come back to my senses, I'll just keep the high speed access...it has blinking lights.
If ignorance is bliss, the world is full of blissful people
Don't forget the version with the wireless access point! The model number is SMC7004WBR.
Everyone will start to cheer when you put on your sailin' shoes.
...Lest we forget that many countries don't have decent DSL or cable services and a *lot* of people are grateful to have 56k dialup for their SOHO or small business.
Many products that are taken for granted in the US (Linksys et al) are not necessarily available in certain countries due to Telco regulations (many countries with monopoly telecom operators force a modem manufacturer to comply with certain rules - this can be expensive).
So, this appears to be an Australian product. Kudos to them. Don't knock the design or functionality simply because you've transcended this method of connection years ago. Small companies would find the opportunity to share 56k dialup access with a few PC's very interesting in some less well connected locations.
trolling the first world...
The whole point of this device is to be expandable. Really, 56K is on the way out, especially among people who have multiple computers and networks setup in their homes (these are the sorts of people who are most likely to get high speed cable or dsl).
The modem is expandable, offering the facility to plug in a second modem, ISDN connection or even an ADSL modem. This is done with a standard serial cable, so most devices should work with little effort, increasing the bandwidth available to users of the network. The second communications device can also be set up as a dedicated external dial-in connection to the network.
This device is targeted at people who currently have 56k but will be looking to expand their bandwidth.
It includes a 4-port 10/100 switch, a WAN-side Ethernet connection to go to the cable or DSL box, and a serial port that can be used to connect an external modem as a backup. It does NAT. It does DHCP. It firewalls. It includes three "groups" for different levels of port blocking. It includes a parallel port for printer sharing. It's web-configurable. It has beta IPSec support.
It's also cheap, with a list price of $200 and at least one place selling it for $150-160.
-- fencepost
fencepost
just a little off
See what the free market has done? It hasn't lowered prices, it has raised them, and now I have to deal with 3 rivalries doing stuff with my connection (CAIS versus Verizon, Covad versus Verizon, and CAIS versus Covad). No doubt about it, when I move to college, I'm getting a cable modem to end all this nonsense.
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
The company I worked at was a small VAR/System integrator in a Semi-rural area of Northeast Ohio. We sold and supported desktop computers and Novell networks to small businesses ( <500 employees) in an area with a radius of about 50 miles. The reason we installed these devices was that as the clients were very small companies, they had maybe two or three desktop PC's in their office that needed access to the internet. This was before cable modem/DSL technology (which I would say would be a more practical solution today, where available), ISDN cost a small fortune and didn't give much of a performance benefit, and a T1 cost a real lot of money (in the semi-rural areas where this company does consulting, I'm not even sure if T1's were available at the time, and even now they cost something like $1500/month because the clients are out in the boon-docks).
You might ask why not just give each PC their own modem and connection? Because then the company had to pay for extra dial-up accounts and extra phone lines (and these were not deep-pocketed companies), and the people in these offices that used the internet only made light use of it. Email, maybe an hour or two a day of doing business related work on the web (like checking prices from suppliers, or updating the company website, or electronically submitting government or insurance forms), and maybe a little bit of personal web surfing. Odds are, the various employees wouldn't all use the internet at the exact same time, and even if they did, the internet connection was mostly idle while they read the web-pages/email. So it worked out very economically and satisfactorily for the company to use one shared internet connection, and using an external device like this is more reliable than using Win98SE's internet connection sharing (which didn't even exist at the time). Although you could use *BSD/Linux, that would require a dedicated computer (which would be more expensive than one of these devices), and additionally the VAR I worked for didn't have any *nix experience and didn't want any ;-), and didn't require that any of the individual computers be on all the time.
is a wireless router/bridge that includes a 56K modem, an ethernet port for Cable/DSL modems,and DHCP for up to 20 clients - $299. The wireless follows the iEEE 802.11 standard (Lucent WaveLAN, etc), for 10Mbps wireless comm. Has Linux drivers.
Linux is the only thing out there that scales down well enough with enough features to run on embedded systems and that you do not have to pay for
No it's not. Linux There are several freely-available embedded OSes. One of them is eCos. Hell, another is FreeBSD. Et cetera, et cetera...
You really need to step outside of your FUD-lined linux cage every once and a while.
--
SecretAsianMan (54.5% Slashdot pure)
Washington, DC: It's like Hollywood for ugly people.
Unlike conventional Microwave ovens, the HotPenguin 7.2 has no keypad and is controlled by commands received through Telnet connections via the Ethernet port. All operations are controlled via the "cook" command and the oven includes a complete man page for the command detailing all options, including power level (30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%), cook start and end time (expressed as seconds since 1/1/1970), and beep frequency, interval, and duration to signal that a cooking event has completed.
The retail price of the HotPenquin 7.2 is $950 and there is currently a two to three month order backlog due to stories that appeared on Slashdot.com and other Linux-related web sites.
I have been using the 3Com LanModem for several years in both the ISDN and 56K models. It serves the same purpose and handles it flawlessly. Its pretty cool that they are using a linux kernel for the OS, but its a bit late in this game to introduce that product. Unless it has a high hack potential I don't know why anyone would buy it with bigger names an nice products already out there doing the same thing.
Well, of course it'll run Juno or Netzero.... if you take the time to search the net for a hack, or take the time yourself to find out.
But.... those ISP's rely on the banners to give them the capital they need to run. Why else do you think the other Free ISP's have dried up or been bought out?
If you're (dumb enough and) shelling out the money for this thing, with a 56K modem (and yes, it'll do the DSL or cable... you'll just have to redo the settings inside to point to an Ethernet port rather than the 56K for the incoming bandwidth... but save your money and get a Linksys for $150 for that purpose), you'll probably be better off getting a $14.95 (US dollars, not Canadian!) ISP.
(Sorry about all the parentheses.)
icanneverbereached@sogoaway.com aint my address.
Could you make this thing act as a Hylafax server and add extra modems? Mmmmmm.
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
But that's only if you don't use the monopoly TeleDanmark. The problem is that TeleDanmark decides who can and cannot be allowed to use one of the alternative carriers, because they determine whether there is or is not any available raw copper. This decision is often not technical but purely random - there might be six or even pairs of copper, but they won't let you use it. So the decision of whether you can get cheap ADSL is based on pure luck.
It works fine, though. I can usually download at around 90% of rated speed. Latency is low, and it includes a Cisco 639 router.
Not to mention that Cisco has a dial-up, DHCP, NAT,wireless Access Point, yadda yadda yadda available. http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/cc/pd/witc/ao340a p/prodlit/bstn_ds.htm
- A.P. (I've got both, ack)
--
* CmdrTaco is an idiot.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
This is not "news". Netgear and Linksys, along with several other companies have had 56K hubs/routers/dial-up managers for some time now. Just because this thing runs linux doesn't increase the "gee-whiz" factor, IMO. Linux is overall for a device like this anyway.
-This sig intentionally left blank
nothing.
this is the dumbest gadget I think they've posted yet.
does a modem really need to run linux?
Apple has a basestation with an internal 56 K modem and ethernet + airport.
Yes, it does NAT and DHCP.
So, nice but I rather buy an Apple airport basestation.
d-link makes a wireless access point w/ a built in hub. it's not hard to find if you look. i'll even throw in a link to it
-Jae
"Administration can be performed [...] by telneting directly into Linux running on the modem."
:-)
Do we get root, too?
Yes, but can it run Netzero or Juno?
icanneverbereached@sogoaway.com aint my address.
It may be slow, but at least it's expensive! $480Aus = ~$260 US. Alternative "magic boxes" from other companies are about $130-$150. What exactly is the benefit of this thing?
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When I started using Coyote Linux as a "router" connected to a cable modem, the terms of service for my provider clearly stated one machine per modem.
Recently, I went back to look at the Terms of Service and this provision was removed. I have to believe that the availability of access sharing devices and software was responsible for this change.
Heck, yeah! Then all you'd need is a video card running the 2.0.38 kernel, too!
And a sound card running the 2.0.38 kernel.
And a DVD-ROM running the 2.0.38 kernel.
And a CD-R running the 2.0.38 kernel.
And a keyboard running the 2.0.38 kernel.
And a mouse running the 2.0.38 kernel.
I'm sure we could cram a kernel or two into a wrist rest, too...
information wants to be expensive...nothing is so valuable as the right information at the right time.
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
Yes, you can hook you cable modem/DSL into it, but then why not just buy a normal firewall/hub appliance?
And does having Linux embedded make it easier to configure than Cisco's IOS?
Karma: Bored. (Thinking about resurrecting the "Anyone else is an imposter" joke.)
I may be a novice to this sort of thing, but wasn't setting up a firewall in the 2.0.38 kernels a bit trickier than the current ipchains? I just remember people getting all giddy about ipchains when they were released.
It strikes me as odd that this gizmo uses telnet and WWW by default to access the configuration tools. Surely it would be possible to include something more secure such as SSH.
Of course, there shouldn't be any problem in adding SSH by yourself, but supplying it as standard would seem useful.
And don't forget the built in solar cells and the hand crank. That rocks! Now all I need is a solar/hand crank radio/MP3 player (with white LED flash light), with embedded Linux running on a Transmeta chip and I can die happy... or at least visit friends in California. >;^)
-Marcel
I've been using a RampNetworks Webramp 200i for over a year now. This thing has a built in 56k modem with a 4 port hub, yesterday I ordered a new NetGear RM356 because the RM356 supports VPN where the 200i doesn't. I'm not so sure that the above aritcle is actually news aside from the fact that it's running on top of a Linux Kernel. I also see that a few people are flaming about the fact that this is 56k modem based. Some of us out here in the "boonies" do not have the options that you "city slickers" have. Apparently those of us who live in cities with less than a population of 50,000 don't deserve or need high speed access. So, yes these types of devices do have their place, but I'm not sure that this one is "news" worthy.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein
another option. take the $5 hub. buy a second network card for your box $20. run ipmasq on linux. now subtract the cost of windows 2000 and youve saved $80. no need for a special box at all.
use LaTeX? want an online reference manager that
-- john
(I should know; I just paid $500 for the installation of a $49 per month 608/128 ADSL line, and it's currently downloading at 17% of its rated speed!)
"Ancillary does not mean you get to rule the world." --U.S. Circuit Judge Harry Edwards, speaking to the FCC's lawyer
I just got one a few days ago. It's working fine as a router for my cable modem, but the wireless card I bought for my laptop came with drivers that windows won't even recognize as valid drivers. I had to return it, and Fry's didn't have any other choices for PC cards. So I don't know how well the wireless works yet.
I bet its a winmodem
The apple airport basestation will do all of the above (but with only one ethernet port).
It'll do dial-up for your wireless (802.11) and wired lan computers, serve DHCP and do IP-MASQ.
<sarcasm>
But it IS made by apple, so it probably sucks just for that reason (it's a lucent setup under the funny shell)
</sarcasm>
-fp
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/hwrout er_chart.htm
I use a sms barricade and zoom modem.. came to about $290 where this is-
"The NetComm Smart i-Share 56 retails for $480 ex GST."
at least mines a switched 10/100 8 port hub. and it'l take dsl when ever I can get it.
--
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
"see, they took an AirPort, ripped out the wireless networking, shoved a $20 four-port hub in the same box and made it run Linux! Is that cool or what?" Well...cool in that it makes me yawn....
I have a positive modifier on Troll. When I mod someone Troll their karma should go UP!
In addition to all the comments made about it here - there is a wireless access point version of the Barricade that has 3 switched ports. Now all it needs is a second COM port so I could do multi-link until broadband comes to my neighborhood.
If you have to have free software in the equation you can always control the above using FreeBase.
If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
DLink's 713 Wireless 11Mbps/10/100 Mbps router".
word.
I have installed a modem sharing hub last year (called Surecom IP-Share) which runs Linux & Apache (for administration interface) which is a DHCP server and a limited firewall... The only difference is that a modem is not included, you have to connect one or two external modems to the device separately. It does automatic load-balancing (which is also configurable) and uses the second modem when needed.
Donate free food to the hungry at The Hunger site.
Sounds like the Telebit Netblazer from back in oh, '94 or so.
Lucent/Orinoco has a wireless 'residential gateway' product that has a built-in 56k modem. It can also act as a bridge to an existing 10baseT LAN. It has worked excellent. I'm not sure what OS it runs though. Unfortunately, you do have to have a windows box to configure it. It just sends some stuff over the network to configure the box so it probably wouldn't be that hard to reverse engineer.
RG-1000
Never underestimate the value of a "neat, quiet little box". That's all the apple cube is after all. Frankly having a 1 kilo device that fits on the corner of a desk is far superior to an old AT case with a 486, modem and network card jammed into it.
There's a place called "too far". I can't seem to find it.
Bibo Ergo Sum.
Can I get one that does DSL and has an 8-port 100-Base-T hub?
http://drteknikal.blogspot.com/
Do that with Windows...
I have a woman and money. Life is good.
I assume that normal /. reasoning includes the following: Linux-based => hackable => must-have. Or something like that.
Of course, for that sort of money you could get a 486 and slap Linux, a modem and a network card into it; the only real advantage with this gizmo is that you get everything in a neat, quiet little box.
Isn't this what 486's and the Linux Router Project are for?
then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel is just a freight train coming your way