Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hi,

I am new to this forum and would like to learn whether and how I might use my Westell 6100 modem

on my PC after I have installed Ubuntu as an operating system.

Thank you for any response

G.R.

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1 Solution

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hello,

I am happy to report, that Ubuntu 8.04 together with an ethernet card and Verizon's Westell

6100 DSL (see prior discussion) allows access to Verizon's internet and mail services with-

out any problems. The setup for the mail service is very similar to the one used for Windows

and requires entry of POP and incoming.verizon.net for mail pick-up and SMPT and

outgoing.verizon.net for sending mail. The pass word and the user name are the same

as for Windows. Ubuntu is a very nice program! Good luck.

Thanks for the assistance

GR.

View solution in original post

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
On your Windows computer, detect if your modem is in bridge mode and what type of connection (the two most common are: DHCP OR PPPoE).

Points to

http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/board/message?board.id=High_Speed_Internet&thread.id=1985

^^
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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Dear DSLR595148,

Thank you for your interest in my problem.

I frankly do not know how to check which mode I am in, nor do I recall
how my modem was set up originally, what input I or Verizon provided
at the time of first installation years ago and how this was done.

I take it from the following text that I am in PPPOE mode, because I never
have to input a username or a password. I just open Windows Explorer,
type in a link and the connection is established. Here is the text from which

I drew my conclusion ( I found the text on the net) :

"Phone line is busy error comes up when you try to dial connection using
windows from your computer while modem is set in pppoe mode/always
on mode.in pppoe mode modem makes connection using your BSNL user-
name/password stored in modem as soon as modem is on while in bridge
mode you have to first turn on your computer & then manually connect to
net using your BSNL username/password."

I never use Windows to dial a phone number, so I do not know what might

happen if I did.

Thanks for your interest and I hope you will continue.

G.R.



 

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
Ok.

If you are not on Windows XP, please post.

#1 Check the networking stuff of the computer.

This means the:

IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and DNS Server(s).

As how to do this, for example if you are on Windows..

Go to Start -> Run.

Type in cmd and press enter.

In the new window, type in ipconfig /all and press enter.

#2 Compare that IP Address to the IP Address as shown at http://www.portforward.com

--

Are they same or different?

#3 If they are the same, your modem is in bridge mode.

If they are different, most likely your modem is in router mode.

To be sure. Not only are the IPs are going to be different, one of them will be one of these:

a) 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255

b) 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255

c) 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

#4 The next step, only if your modem in bridge mode..

Go to Start -> Connect to -> Show all connections.

If that exist. If that does not exist, then go to Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections.

At that screen, is there any broadband connections listed - that says something about WAN MiniPort (PPPoE)?

For example, here is a screen shot from my computer.

http://i39.tinypic.com/1588i2g.jpg



If there is not something about WAN MiniPort (PPPoE), you are in a DHCP area.
Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hello,

Here is the result for checking with the ipconfig /all command:
 

Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : myhome.westell.com
 Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Westell WireSpeed Dual Connect

 Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0F-DB-79-42-F4
 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
 Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
 IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.47
 Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
 Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
 DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
                                     192.168.1.1
 Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, May 21, 2009 3:23:09
 Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, May 22, 2009 3:23:09 PM

Going to http://www.portforward.com I found no way to compare the above info
to anything on that site. This site seems to advertise some programs.

Finally for
Control Panel > Network and Dial-up I only find two entries: Make New connection
and below that Local Area Connection.

That is all I can report.
G.R.

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
Ok.

#1 In your case, your modem is in router mode.

#2 I would strongly recommend using the Live CD (called the "Desktop") Version of Ubuntu.

This way..

a) You will know if your computer and connection to the Internet works or not.

b) If it works and you like what you see, you can install it. 😉

See some notes at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hello again,

Thanks for your quick work. I shall follow your advice. It would be nice to know how you dould see

that I am connected in router mode. Do you know of a good introductory link into the subject matter

of our discussion?

Thanks you again.

GR.

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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
It is a bit complex, but I will tell you at least the following...

#1 The Following IP Address(es) are NATTED/Private/Internal/Non-Public route-able IPs.

a) From 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255

b) From 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255

c) 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

This is from source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_network

#2 If you had another router, the WAN IP in that other router will match the external IP as shown at any other website that displays the Public IP.

For example if you had the WRT54G, the WAN IP is at Status -> Router

http://ui.linksys.com/files/WRT54G/v5/1.00.2/Status.htm
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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader
Where it gets even more tricky is telling the difference between a dumb modem and a modem combo.

All I can tell you about that is that..

if you reset the modem combo back to the default settings, using the reset method: Most modem combos are by default in router mode.
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Re: Use of Verizon Westell 6100 with Ubuntu
GR
Enthusiast - Level 3

Hello,

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.

I have reset my modem several times, so that it would be in router mode.

In the meantime I have downloaded Ubuntu and booted from it onto my Internet PC. The performance

is painfully slow,  but it showed me that I may be able to try to get onto the internet once my modem is

on an ethernet card. I shall order one and the cable for it and let you know what happens after the instal-

lation.

Another question which has been on my mind for a while is the following. Suppose I get another

Westell 6100 or other modem, not from Verizon, but from another supplier. How would I set it up to con-

nect to Verizon?

Does Verizon give me access based on the phone number I am calling from, or is there something

else involved? Reason for my questiion: I have another PC I would at time like to connect, but I do not

want to move the modem from one room to another and I do not want the hassle and expense of a

wireless setup.

Thank you again

GR.

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