What Can You Do w/ 170,000 DirecTV DSL Gateways? 24
An anonymous reader asks: "I'm sure everyone here is already aware of the impending demise of DirecTV DSL. The latest twist is that, apparently, they're not going to want subs to return the DSL gateways, at least that's the buzz in the DSL Reports DirecTV DSL forum. If true, this means that we'll have around 170,000 of these things floating around, just begging to live again in some other capacity. So, what can be done with them? Seems a shame to let such neat little boxes go to waste. Does anyone care to come up with some creative ideas on how to hack them and make them do something useful?"
Make a beowulf cluster (Score:5, Funny)
can you imagine.... (Score:1)
I have an idea (Score:1)
Re:I have an idea (Score:1)
Specifications (Score:5, Interesting)
they have an ethernet port (rj45) and a DSL port (rj11) and a USB port
I'm not sure if I can add more capacity, and I won't check until the thing stops working
LinuxPPC
This one's too easy (Score:5, Funny)
2. Get 170,000 people to print out a copy and box up their DSL gateway
3. Send 170,000 DSL gateways to Hughes/DirecTV, postage-due, with a "Thanks for cutting off my DSL, you insensitive clod" note attached.
Of course, this would be mail fraud, so I'm not actually suggesting it or anything
Use them with the next DSL provider. (Score:3, Interesting)
If these models have a password for remote configuration, it would also be a good idea to try and land that for yourselves before the ISP goes tits up for good. Band together to bribe a techie. I'm sure one of their support dudes who's about to be out of work anyway could be bought if you round up a couple hundred bucks. :)
Keep using them for DSL service (Score:3, Informative)
Can't be done. (Score:4, Informative)
Now, these boxes could probably be reprogrammed to act as DSL gateways for another service -- but you would need to get an ISP to reprovision the line to your house.
Assuming you can boot Linux/PPC or NetBSD on them, you could use them as high-speed links on dry pairs. Either run your own wiring, or get the telco to string you an "alarm circuit" from point to point.
Re:Can't be done. (Score:1)
Re:Keep using them for DSL service (Score:1)
We just need to wait. (Score:1)
Step 1 (Score:3, Interesting)
Step 2 - Check to see if their internet connection is adequate. (OC3 should be enough)
Step 3 - Pay freshman in the dorms to keep a computer in his room and never touch it. Pay him the 20$ a month you usually pay for your ISP.
Step 4 - Two nics in the pc, one on the college network. It should work automatically with DHCP. The other nic in a DSL modem. Use something like Mandrake Security and install a PPPoE (PPP over Ethernet) server.
Step 5 - Connect to your personal DSL service from home using something like Enternet. Yes, they make Enternet for linux.
Not sure how well it would work, but there are lots of sites that tell you how to roll your own DSL. We though of doing this because one day we're going to have to leave college and our internet connection will suck! T1 for us!
Re:Step 1 (Score:1)
Step 3 - profit.
Re:Step 1 (Score:1)
I have enough crap (Score:1)
Anyone care to tell me how to write a delta image, or what it is anyway.
Even though the admin interface has parallel as an option My box has no parallel port, but if you open it up the board has a spot for one if you care to solder it on.
I was working on replaceing the box with a Linux router since telocity actualy gave 2 static ip's for $50 a month.
Eat them (Score:2)