Wind Wireless and Linksys Cable/DSL routers?

[Matt Beazer]

Hi folks,

I thought I'd ask here on the off chance any of you use Wind Wireless for
access with their Zcomax CPE series and using a Linksys Cable/DSL router to
do the PPPoE login, NAT, etc. I've tried myself and all I've managed to do
is royally mess it up myself. I have the Zcomax CPE-180HP and a Linksys
BEFSR81 (8 port version of the common 4 port Cable/DSL router model). I
was hoping that someone here may have done it and could give me some steps
or pointers.

So far I've tried to configure the Zcomax for "Bridge Only" mode and
disabled PPPoE. Then I configured the Linksys to use 192.168.1.2 so it
wouldn't conflict with the management interface on the Zcomax (192.168.1.1)
and set the Linksys to use PPPoE and put in the proper login name/password,
and set the "Keep Alive: Redial Period" to the default 30 seconds.

When I did this, and plugged the cable from the Zcomax into the "internet"
port on the Linksys and my machines into the other ports, I could then
still get to the management interface of the Linksys but not the Zcomax,
and it wouldn't return pings from 192.168.1.1. On the status page of the
Linksys, when trying to connect to the PPPoE server it never manages to
connect and can't find the server.

Obviously I have something missconfigured here, probably something stupid
and obvious, but I don't have the knowledge to know what, and I'm unable to
find any kind of documentation on the Zcomax CPE-180HP other than the
couple page "quick start" guide that was included in the box for the
antenna.

Thanks for any hints you may be able to give,

Matt Beazer

[Dave Laird]

Evenin, Matt!

Post by Matt Beazer
So far I've tried to configure the Zcomax for "Bridge Only" mode and
disabled PPPoE. Then I configured the Linksys to use 192.168.1.2 so it
wouldn't conflict with the management interface on the Zcomax
(192.168.1.1) and set the Linksys to use PPPoE and put in the proper login
name/password, and set the "Keep Alive: Redial Period" to the default 30
seconds.
When I did this, and plugged the cable from the Zcomax into the "internet"
port on the Linksys and my machines into the other ports, I could then
still get to the management interface of the Linksys but not the Zcomax,
and it wouldn't return pings from 192.168.1.1. On the status page of the
Linksys, when trying to connect to the PPPoE server it never manages to
connect and can't find the server.
Obviously I have something missconfigured here, probably something stupid
and obvious, but I don't have the knowledge to know what, and I'm unable
to find any kind of documentation on the Zcomax CPE-180HP other than the
couple page "quick start" guide that was included in the box for the
antenna.
Thanks for any hints you may be able to give,

I am just now talking with Bobk and he shows that you are linked up and
connected, and appear to be busy. Did you resolve this problem? If not let
me know.

Dave

[Matt Beazer]

Post by Dave Laird
I am just now talking with Bobk and he shows that you are linked up and
connected, and appear to be busy. Did you resolve this problem? If not let
me know.

Right now I'm using the NAT/routing stuff built into the antenna itself. I
can download things fine, but I have a static IP and I'm not too fond of
the NAT implimentation in it, nor can I do nice things like port forwarding
that the Linksys allows. It works fine in the default configuration, I'm
just "fiddling" to get it to do what I'd like it to do, and that's why I
got the linksys. Chuck who works there said the Linksys will do the PPPoE
login and that gets rid of some of the limitations of the implimentation in
the standard equipment. I want to be able to do a small web site for
family use and be able to actually get the various chat programs to allow
me to send files. :)

Even if I could get just the docs for the Zcomax CPE-180HP I could figure it
out. I talked to Brian on the phone earlier today and he gave me some
tips, but it's hardly their responsibility to get something like this set
up, and I hate bugging them constantly for help, especially when I know as
little as I do about this whole setup, and they have no reason to know a
lot about the linksys equipment.

If no one knows here, I'll have to do some more hunting around. :)

Thanks,
Matt

[Dave Laird]

Good morning, Matt...

Post by Matt Beazer

Post by Dave Laird
I am just now talking with Bobk and he shows that you are linked up and
connected, and appear to be busy. Did you resolve this problem? If not
let me know.

Right now I'm using the NAT/routing stuff built into the antenna itself.
I can download things fine, but I have a static IP and I'm not too fond of
the NAT implimentation in it, nor can I do nice things like port forwarding
that the Linksys allows. It works fine in the default configuration, I'm
just "fiddling" to get it to do what I'd like it to do, and that's why I
got the linksys. Chuck who works there said the Linksys will do the PPPoE
login and that gets rid of some of the limitations of the implimentation in
the standard equipment. I want to be able to do a small web site for
family use and be able to actually get the various chat programs to allow
me to send files. :)

Chuck Meyers should know the limitations of the Linksys pretty well. What IP
does the radio NAT to on the inside and outside of the ETH0 interface? You
have to remember, because the radio NAT's itself, you'll have to set your
Linksys to the same network in order for it to play... er, I think. (Where's
my coffee?)

Post by Matt Beazer
Even if I could get just the docs for the Zcomax CPE-180HP I could figure it
out. I talked to Brian on the phone earlier today and he gave me some
tips, but it's hardly their responsibility to get something like this set
up, and I hate bugging them constantly for help, especially when I know as
little as I do about this whole setup, and they have no reason to know a
lot about the linksys equipment.

Oh, listen *very* carefully to Brian Antoine... Listen carefully to what
Brian told you, and be sure a take notes. He *does* know how things bolt
together better than most anyone I know, but he doesn't speak in
non-technical terms yet, although I understand he has improved over the
years.

Post by Matt Beazer
If no one knows here, I'll have to do some more hunting around. :)

See if anything I just said about the inner and outer interfaces makes sense
to you, Matt. Although I've never seen, much less configured, a Zcomax.
However, I've configured and used a Linksys a time or two, not that I would
remember anything at 6:30 on a Saturday morning. Let me know if anything I
said makes sense.

Dave
--
Dave Laird (***@kharma.net)
The Used Kharma Lot / The Phoenix Project
Web Page: http://www.kharma.net updated 11/17/2003
Usenet News server: news.kharma.net
Musicians Calendar and Database access: http://www.kharma.net/calendar.html

An automatic & random thought For the Minute:
It is better for civilization to be going down the drain than to be
coming up it.
-- Henry Allen

[Matt Beazer]

Post by Dave Laird
Chuck Meyers should know the limitations of the Linksys pretty well. What IP
does the radio NAT to on the inside and outside of the ETH0 interface? You
have to remember, because the radio NAT's itself, you'll have to set your
Linksys to the same network in order for it to play... er, I think. (Where's
my coffee?)

Yeah, I suppose I should find his e-mail address and bug him, since he
mentioned the Linksys did a better job than the Zcomax. I think I'm rapidly
getting a rep as a "twit" there though with just enough knowlege to be
dangerous, considering my admittedly half-assed antenna mounting ("gee, I
get a signal pointing it out this window, that'll do for now"). I did have
to call tech support since they'd mildly goofed on their end configuring my
static IP, but that was fixed pretty quickly. At least I know what PPPoE is
and I can make some attempt at not making a fool of myself, but I'm afriad
I'm not very good at enjoying looking stupid, and honestly, their equipment
works, it's just that I can't figure out how to configure my own equipment
due to a lack of documentation. I can't even find the specs on the CPE-

Post by Dave Laird
Oh, listen *very* carefully to Brian Antoine... Listen carefully to what
Brian told you, and be sure a take notes. He *does* know how things bolt
together better than most anyone I know, but he doesn't speak in
non-technical terms yet, although I understand he has improved over the
years.
See if anything I just said about the inner and outer interfaces makes sense
to you, Matt. Although I've never seen, much less configured, a Zcomax.
However, I've configured and used a Linksys a time or two, not that I would
remember anything at 6:30 on a Saturday morning. Let me know if anything I
said makes sense.

I did talk to Brian, and it made some vauge sense. I just wish I knew
exactly how to configure the Zcomax to correctly hand off the PPPoE/NAT/etc.
to the Linksys. The linksys is simple, the Zcomax is what's driving me
nuts, because I can't even RTFM since I can't FIND the FM. I know it has an
"internal" interface when in "IP router" mode, but as Brian said, it
shouldn't have an IP address when it's in Bridge-only mode, since it's "only
a wire" at that point that's delivering the signal to the linksys. There's
a place to set the management interface IP address in the Zcomax, and I've
set that so it doesn't conflict with the linksys, but when it's plugged in
to the Linksys, the management interface is unreachable for some reason,
which hints to me a missconfiguration in the network configuration
someplace. They have the same subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and the Zcomax
is just 192.168.1.1 and the Linksys is 192.168.1.2. The Zcomax is
configured in "bridge" mode, so it's not trying to do NAT or any form of
routing itself, or it shouldn't be. Externally, my static IP is
67.106.16.3, but it never even gets to the point of being able to log into
the PPPoE server from the Linksys, it just sits there forever and then
fails. DHCP is set up on their end to pass off my static IP automatically,
so it's not an issue of having to put that in. I have a feeling I'm missing
something obvious, but I can't find it, and I can't be sure I've configured
the Zcomax properly in bridge mode.

Frustrating. :) I'm not at home currently, I'm at a friend's place, so
it'll have to wait until I get home and have some time to fight it.

P.S., did you get my e-mail on the court-update? I wanted to be sure
considering my e-mail problems as of late.

Thanks,

Matt

[Dave Laird]

Good evening, Matt...

Post by Matt Beazer
Yeah, I suppose I should find his e-mail address and bug him, since he
mentioned the Linksys did a better job than the Zcomax. I think I'm
rapidly getting a rep as a "twit" there though with just enough knowlege
to be dangerous, considering my admittedly half-assed antenna mounting
("gee, I
get a signal pointing it out this window, that'll do for now"). I did
have to call tech support since they'd mildly goofed on their end
configuring my
static IP, but that was fixed pretty quickly. At least I know what PPPoE
is and I can make some attempt at not making a fool of myself, but I'm
afriad I'm not very good at enjoying looking stupid, and honestly, their
equipment works, it's just that I can't figure out how to configure my own
equipment
due to a lack of documentation. I can't even find the specs on the CPE-

Given that I have never used any of their wireless rigs before, anything I
say could and probably would make an equally big fool out of me. Having said

Post by Matt Beazer
I did talk to Brian, and it made some vauge sense. I just wish I knew
exactly how to configure the Zcomax to correctly hand off the
PPPoE/NAT/etc.
to the Linksys. The linksys is simple, the Zcomax is what's driving me
nuts, because I can't even RTFM since I can't FIND the FM. I know it has
an "internal" interface when in "IP router" mode, but as Brian said, it
shouldn't have an IP address when it's in Bridge-only mode, since it's "only
a wire" at that point that's delivering the signal to the linksys.
There's a place to set the management interface IP address in the Zcomax,
and I've set that so it doesn't conflict with the linksys, but when it's
plugged in to the Linksys, the management interface is unreachable for
some reason, which hints to me a missconfiguration in the network
configuration
someplace. They have the same subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and the Zcomax
is just 192.168.1.1 and the Linksys is 192.168.1.2. The Zcomax is
configured in "bridge" mode, so it's not trying to do NAT or any form of
routing itself, or it shouldn't be. Externally, my static IP is
67.106.16.3, but it never even gets to the point of being able to log into
the PPPoE server from the Linksys, it just sits there forever and then
fails. DHCP is set up on their end to pass off my static IP
automatically,
so it's not an issue of having to put that in. I have a feeling I'm
missing something obvious, but I can't find it, and I can't be sure I've
configured the Zcomax properly in bridge mode.

Okay, as I am interpreting what you are saying here is a pretty ascii
drawing...

67.106.16.3<---to-ISP-->to-radio-->192.168.1.1<--->to-Linksys-in-bridging->
Right? Then your workstation should be 192.168.1.2 with a default GW of
192.168.1.1. Have you tried that? You must set up the PP0E log in on the
Linksys to where it works.

The other setting is to set the Linksys to where it NAT's, but without the
manual for the Zcomax, I wouldn't know where to begin to offer any help.

Post by Matt Beazer
Frustrating. :) I'm not at home currently, I'm at a friend's place, so
it'll have to wait until I get home and have some time to fight it.
P.S., did you get my e-mail on the court-update? I wanted to be sure
considering my e-mail problems as of late.

No, but considering the stress levels surrounding the sentencing and the
endless calls from various peebles, if you'd sent a hydrogen bomb COD I
wouldn't know it, either.

Dave
--
Dave Laird (***@kharma.net)
The Used Kharma Lot / The Phoenix Project
Web Page: http://www.kharma.net updated 11/17/2003
Usenet News server: news.kharma.net
Musicians Calendar and Database access: http://www.kharma.net/calendar.html

An automatic & random thought For the Minute:
Three minutes' thought would suffice to find this out; but thought is
irksome and three minutes is a long time.
-- A.E. Houseman

[Matt Beazer]

Post by Dave Laird
Given that I have never used any of their wireless rigs before, anything I
say could and probably would make an equally big fool out of me. Having said

Heh, I'd not worry about it then, Dave. I'll figure it out myself, I always
do, once I bug enough people and do enough web searches. :)

Post by Dave Laird
Okay, as I am interpreting what you are saying here is a pretty ascii
drawing...

67.106.16.3<---to-ISP-->to-radio-->192.168.1.1<--->to-Linksys-in-bridging->

Post by Dave Laird
Right? Then your workstation should be 192.168.1.2 with a default GW of
192.168.1.1. Have you tried that? You must set up the PP0E log in on the
Linksys to where it works.

Yup, I have it configured that way already, and NAT is set up by default as
well as DHCP assigning the workstations addresses. Everyone gets and
address fine, the Linksys just can't seem to "See" the radio. So.

Post by Dave Laird
The other setting is to set the Linksys to where it NAT's, but without the
manual for the Zcomax, I wouldn't know where to begin to offer any help.

Yup, exactly, so don't worry about it, I'll find something eventually. :)

Post by Dave Laird
No, but considering the stress levels surrounding the sentencing and the
endless calls from various peebles, if you'd sent a hydrogen bomb COD I
wouldn't know it, either.

Given, sorry for bugging you.

Matt

[Dave Laird]

Evening, Matt...

Post by Matt Beazer
Yup, I have it configured that way already, and NAT is set up by default as
well as DHCP assigning the workstations addresses. Everyone gets and
address fine, the Linksys just can't seem to "See" the radio. So.

Try turning off DHCP and set the IP manually for the workstation to
192.168.1.2 and GW to .1 and see if the Linksys sees the outer perimeter
then. Once you've set it up that way, see if you can ping the outer
perimeter IP of 192.168.1.1, as well. Then try the fixed IP. Let me know,
because I just learned a client is considering one of the Linksys setups
from Wind, too.

Post by Matt Beazer
Given, sorry for bugging you.

Hey, no problemo. I'm catching up with stuff and that's good. 8-)

Dave

[Matt Beazer]

Turns out I've been banging my head on the wall due to a screwup by linksys.
My Dad bought a Linksys "Wireless-G Broadband router".  I plugged it in,
configured it via the web interface, and set the antenna to "Bridge Only"
and disabled the internal PPPOE login.  Then I plugged the antenna into the
"Internet" port, and told it to login, and bang, it worked fine.

Now I need to figure out why the damn 8 port thing I own is useless other
than as a normal switch.  I'll probably have to upgrade the firmware and
switch to it, as the 8 port has some nice things like QoS that the Wireless
one doesn't have, then just plug the wireless thing into the non-wireless
one so my Dad can have his wireless access.

My only problem so far is trying to figure out why my httpd isn't answering
on port 80, though I set up the port forwarding, and ssh works fine, and on
the internal network it answers fine.  I told them I was going to be
running a small personal web server on the connection and that's why I got
the static IP, so I'm hoping they're not filtering port 80.

Thanks for the help, and let me know if you run into any snags if you end up
going for the linksys with the wind wireless setup, I could give you
detailed steps, it's pretty simple.

Matt

Post by Dave Laird
Evening, Matt...

Post by Matt Beazer
Yup, I have it configured that way already, and NAT is set up by default as
well as DHCP assigning the workstations addresses. Everyone gets and
address fine, the Linksys just can't seem to "See" the radio. So.

Try turning off DHCP and set the IP manually for the workstation to
192.168.1.2 and GW to .1 and see if the Linksys sees the outer perimeter
then. Once you've set it up that way, see if you can ping the outer
perimeter IP of 192.168.1.1, as well. Then try the fixed IP. Let me know,
because I just learned a client is considering one of the Linksys setups
from Wind, too.

Post by Matt Beazer
Given, sorry for bugging you.

Hey, no problemo. I'm catching up with stuff and that's good. 8-)
Dave

[Dave Laird]

G'morning, Matt!

Post by Matt Beazer
Turns out I've been banging my head on the wall due to a screwup by
linksys. My Dad bought a Linksys "Wireless-G Broadband router". I plugged
it in, configured it via the web interface, and set the antenna to "Bridge
Only" and disabled the internal PPPOE login. Then I plugged the antenna
into the "Internet" port, and told it to login, and bang, it worked fine.

Cool!!!

Post by Matt Beazer
My only problem so far is trying to figure out why my httpd isn't
answering on port 80, though I set up the port forwarding, and ssh works
fine, and on the internal network it answers fine. I told them I was
going to be running a small personal web server on the connection and
that's why I got the static IP, so I'm hoping they're not filtering port
80.

Nah, they wouldn't be filtering it on a fixed IP, at least I don't think so.
Make sure your port forwarding is showing up on the fixed IP side by banging
away from your inside IP on the outside IP on port 80 and see if anything
answers out-of-doors. That sounds like a port that's not being properly
forwarded or some NAT problem. Check and make sure the Linksys doesn't
reject port 80 by default, too, as some of the Cisco routers did that.

Post by Matt Beazer
Thanks for the help, and let me know if you run into any snags if you end
up going for the linksys with the wind wireless setup, I could give you
detailed steps, it's pretty simple.

I'll take you up on that, if their customer decides to take "the plunge". I
wouldn't hold my breath though, as this guy is notoriously stingy with his
IT funding, but two of his suppliers are now making noises about requiring
broadband to access their databases in Post Falls. Heh. Both of *them*
recently converted from Microsoft SQL products to MySQL under Linux. Gee, I
can't understand why that happened so soon after I paid them a visit. <huge
evil grin>

Dave
--
Dave Laird (***@kharma.net)
The Used Kharma Lot / The Phoenix Project
Web Page: http://www.kharma.net updated 11/17/2003
Usenet News server: news.kharma.net
Musicians Calendar and Database access: http://www.kharma.net/calendar.html

An automatic & random thought For the Minute:
The first requisite for immortality is death.
-- Stanislaw Lem

[Matt Beazer]

Post by Dave Laird
Cool!!!

It'd be cooler if I didn't have a worthless broadband router on my hands. ;)
I'm hoping I can flash it to a newer firmware revision that might fix the
problem.
 

Post by Dave Laird
Nah, they wouldn't be filtering it on a fixed IP, at least I don't think
so. Make sure your port forwarding is showing up on the fixed IP side by
banging away from your inside IP on the outside IP on port 80 and see if
anything answers out-of-doors. That sounds like a port that's not being
properly forwarded or some NAT problem. Check and make sure the Linksys
doesn't reject port 80 by default, too, as some of the Cisco routers did
that.

I can hit http://67.106.16.3/ fine from any of my machines that are on the
internal network, I just can't from anything outside.  I've tried enabling
the DMZ function, which just turns on port forwarding for everything, to no
effect.  I changed Apache to run on port 666 just to test, set up the port
forward, and it works fine to everyone externally.  This really annoys me,
as the only real reason to get a static IP is http serving, as if I want
someone to FTP something or other I could tell them my dynamic IP.  Web, on
the other hand, is by it's very nature something you want to keep static so
anyone can get to it, and it obviously appears that port 80 is being
filtered at their end.  I'm going to have to e-mail 'em politely about it. 
I suspect FTP is filtered too, though I've not found anyone to try to
connect to my IP on port 21 to find out.
 

Post by Dave Laird
I'll take you up on that, if their customer decides to take "the plunge".
I wouldn't hold my breath though, as this guy is notoriously stingy with
his IT funding, but two of his suppliers are now making noises about
requiring broadband to access their databases in Post Falls. Heh. Both of
them recently converted from Microsoft SQL products to MySQL under
Linux. Gee, I can't understand why that happened so soon after I paid them
a visit. <huge evil grin>

Just be careful about antenna placement, mine disconnects sometimes I think
due to interference, then to get the connection to work again I have to
go into the linksys or the antenna and force a new PPPoE
login.  Neither the software in the antenna nor the linksys seems to be
able to detect when it's been disconnected, and won't try to log back in,
despite the option in the linksys to force it to do so. <sigh> I'd
recommend against using the integrated NAT/etc. inside the antenna, as it's
flakey. There were times during my fiddling I tried to go back using the
CPE manager software and re-enabled the old config with NAT enabled, only
to find NAT wouldn't work anymore, despite the interface saying it was
enabled. This persisted until I telnetted into the telnet-based interface
and used the command line to force NAT on, even though NAT was checked in
the CPE manager interface. Otherwise I'd be rebooting the damn thing over
and over until it actually enabled NAT like it was supposed to be. This is
also the "platinum package" antenna, the normal one is less powerful and
I'm unsure what software layout it has.

So keep that in mind before you think about using it for something critical
to business, though considering my experiences with Qwest DSL lately, I
don't think they're much better. ;)

Matt

[Matt Beazer]

Just an addenum, I e-mailed 'em and Brian said they typically filter the
commonly abused ports on residential connections, and that they can remove
the filter on port 80 if I wish, and I've asked them to do so. :)

The Linksys that isn't working has a newer firmware version than the one
that's available on their website, so now I'm in the enviable position of
having to e-mail tech support. So, if you end up having to set one up,
avoid the BEFSR81 unless Linksys can tell me how to fix it.

Matt

[Dave Laird]

Evening, Matt!

Post by Matt Beazer
Just an addenum, I e-mailed 'em and Brian said they typically filter the
commonly abused ports on residential connections, and that they can remove
the filter on port 80 if I wish, and I've asked them to do so. :)

BWAHAHAHA! I *thought* it sounded as if there was a filter someplace there,
but I didn't think so. Gee whiz, me and my big mouth. 8-)

Post by Matt Beazer
The Linksys that isn't working has a newer firmware version than the one
that's available on their website, so now I'm in the enviable position of
having to e-mail tech support. So, if you end up having to set one up,
avoid the BEFSR81 unless Linksys can tell me how to fix it.

Let me know. You've really got me curious about this unit.

Dave
--
Dave Laird (***@kharma.net)
The Used Kharma Lot / The Phoenix Project
Web Page: http://www.kharma.net updated 11/17/2003
Usenet News server: news.kharma.net
Musicians Calendar and Database access: http://www.kharma.net/calendar.html

An automatic & random thought For the Minute:
Whenever anyone says, "theoretically," they really mean, "not really."
-- Dave Parnas

[Matt Beazer]

Post by Dave Laird
BWAHAHAHA! I *thought* it sounded as if there was a filter someplace
there, but I didn't think so. Gee whiz, me and my big mouth. 8-)

Yeah, last I checked it still wasn't unfiltered, but I've not had a chance
to reset it since I reset the AP a couple times when the tower nearby
apparently went down for about 5 mins and it lost connection.

Post by Dave Laird

Post by Matt Beazer
avoid the BEFSR81 unless Linksys can tell me how to fix it.

Let me know. You've really got me curious about this unit.

Well, I e-mailed 'em. They said "Uh, do a hard reset on it". I replied
"Umm, I hard reset it three times myself since I kept thinking I'd
missconfigured it and wanted to start over". The response is thus:

Your message

To: Mabelle G. Gacusan
Subject: Re: PPPoE won't connect with BEFSR81
Sent: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:49:07 -0800

did not reach the following recipient(s):

Mabelle G. Gacusan on Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:38:54 -0800
The recipient could not be processed due to congestion in the message
transfer service
The MTS-ID of the original message is: c=us;a=
;p=linksys;l=MAIL20312170838YVRNGTNH
MSEXCH:MSExchangeMTA:US:MAIL2

---------------

Lesson is, don't trust anyone who sounds like they're an Indian outsourcer,
and also don't trust any company that uses MS Exchange for their e-mail
infrastructure. ;) I'll have to re-send it again tomorrow. At this point
I'm thinking of just getting an RMA from newegg.com and returning it,
though I'd lose the cost of shipping and the standard 20% restocking fee.


Matt

[Dave Laird]

G'morning, Matt...

Post by Matt Beazer
Well, I e-mailed 'em. They said "Uh, do a hard reset on it". I replied
"Umm, I hard reset it three times myself since I kept thinking I'd
Your message
To: Mabelle G. Gacusan
Subject: Re: PPPoE won't connect with BEFSR81
Sent: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:49:07 -0800
Mabelle G. Gacusan on Wed, 17 Dec 2003 00:38:54 -0800
The recipient could not be processed due to congestion in the message
transfer service
The MTS-ID of the original message is: c=us;a=
;p=linksys;l=MAIL20312170838YVRNGTNH
MSEXCH:MSExchangeMTA:US:MAIL2
---------------
Lesson is, don't trust anyone who sounds like they're an Indian
outsourcer, and also don't trust any company that uses MS Exchange for
their e-mail
infrastructure. ;) I'll have to re-send it again tomorrow. At this point
I'm thinking of just getting an RMA from newegg.com and returning it,
though I'd lose the cost of shipping and the standard 20% restocking fee.

[Dave takes out his *REALLY* big red grease pencil and writes cancel this
idea on a scrap of paper] From the sound of things, I already have enough of
those kinds of RMA's just from dealing with ActionTech DSL/Wireless hubs,
and YES, they use Exchange for mail, too, and it BOUNCES. Hmph. I wonder if
they outsource their tech support to the same Indian/Pakistani FUBAR
organization? It *does* sound like we talked to the same guy, come to think
of it. ;-|

As far as port 80 goes, just nudge Brian again. Whatever you do, *DON'T*
tell him you talked with me or it might fry his brain pan entirely, and
he'll start screaming into the phone at you. Despite my trying to mend
fences, I understand he and I are *still* an item, after nearly a decade of
silent warfare. <grin> I *almost* bought a wireless account at Wind Wireless
just so I could call in and ask for tech support. However, saner minds
prevailed. <huge grin>

Brian's *still* one of a modest handful of techs in town who truly know what
the hell they're talking about. Everybody else is either brain-fuzzy or
outsourced to Boogala-Boogala India or somesuch place.

Dave
--
Dave Laird (***@kharma.net)
The Used Kharma Lot / The Phoenix Project
Web Page: http://www.kharma.net updated 11/17/2003
Usenet News server: news.kharma.net
Musicians Calendar and Database access: http://www.kharma.net/calendar.html

An automatic & random thought For the Minute:
It is a lesson which all history teaches wise men, to put trust in ideas,
and not in circumstances.
-- Emerson