Networking :: Net Config Help

I have AOL DSL, and my modem is connected through the USB port, not ethernet.

When I go to config my net it says it can't find an ethernet card. So basically, my question is 1. Do I have to have my modem connected through an ethernet cable, or can I still make it work using a USB cable? And 2. If I can use a USB cable, how do I go about making this work?

Thanks for helping.

This makes me wonder how a cable modem would work. Soon, I might set up a cable modem on an XP box, using a router, so I can plug in to a NIC card on my various Damn Small boxes. These little cards are cheap, advertised for $4.95, and so I can
put one in each Damn Small machine, and off I go with my network wire looking for the
router and cable modem setup for the Dell XP box.
I have been told that Damn Small Linux will automatically pick up the network signal, and then
I have broadband on Damn Small Linux.
---
Anyone have any experience with this? I have been using dialup all this time.
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Quote (ZeXel @ Aug. 16 2004,15:09)

I have AOL DSL, and my modem is connected through the USB port, not ethernet. When I go to config my net it says it can't find an ethernet card. So basically, my question is 1. Do I have to have my modem connected through an ethernet cable, or can I still make it work using a USB cable? And 2. If I can use a USB cable, how do I go about making this work? Thanks for helping.

I'm not sure if the drivers for the use of a modem for USB is available on DSL. If it's already in there, I would recommend booting the computer while the modem is already on, and see if the autoconfig picks it up. If it does, I guess you whould be able to connect, however, i have no experience with AOL other than on my grandfather's XP computer. I also have a bit of an experience with my modem which used to be hooked up via usb to my Win98 comp. When I switched to WinXP, the usb drivers would crash the comp every couple minutes, so I decided to just switch to ethernet. If the usb doesnt work, NIC's arent all that expensive (some are free after rebates). Just make sure you have a pci slot for it (that was a mistake i made on one computer...)

Quote (Rapidweather @ Aug. 16 2004,21:16)

This makes me wonder how a cable modem would work. Soon, I might set up a cable modem on an XP box, using a router, so I can plug in to a NIC card on my various Damn Small boxes. These little cards are cheap, advertised for $4.95, and so I can put one in each Damn Small machine, and off I go with my network wire looking for the router and cable modem setup for the Dell XP box. I have been told that Damn Small Linux will automatically pick up the network signal, and then I have broadband on Damn Small Linux. --- Anyone have any experience with this? I have been using dialup all this time. ---

I had this question before. A great thread that will probably answer your question is here
http://damnsmalllinux.org/cgi-bin....7;t=149
Just check to make sure your DSL boxes have a pci slot available for a NIC (some older computers have their pci slots filled with video, sound, usb... etc)