I'm considering installing DSL; the ISP (BT in UK) will provide a USB modem. This cannot easily be connected to a LAN without the use of an intermediate PC and a NIC (see dslreports.com for this item). I don't want to run the ICS option; would prefer at least a conventional DSL modem, ideally an access router/firewall arrangement (have the SMC Barricade, D-Link 704 etc. in mind for the router approach). Consequently I'm looking for input on replacing the USB modem with non-USB. BT charge noticeably more for a non-USB modem connection! As I understand things, the USB modem (and non-USB etc) has an RJ11 input connection, and then passes the output via the USB link to the PC. Will I be able to replace the supplied USB modem with a non-USB type and things still work OK; or will there be an issue with the way BT have established the connection (IP address etc.)? Would appreciate any input from those who have managed to replace USB with non-USB modems etc. Presumably the issues will be the same for any DSL service (be it in the UK, N.AM etc.) and wanting to change from USB to non-USB modem? Thanx in advance for any input.

Uh, you're barking up several wrong trees, friend. A modem is a modem; 2 modems simply have to agree in hardware to hear each other at all, and on software protocol to make sense of the data stream. That's the difference between, say, a 56k acoustic and DSL (different HW frequencies) and V.42 and Ethernet. How the data is sent to/from modem is irrelevant at this point, whether USB or NIC or LPT port for that matter. USB is a /*LOUSY*/ way to think of moving highspeed data between modem & computer as you want via a primary netlink; it's made for stringing long chains of slow devices like printers and scanners and text-file servers. Of course you won't find any USB "networks"; it's an oxymoron. Ethernet 10/100 is a defacto technology for LAN/WAN limited mostly by your own level of network backbone access whatever that might be including Internet. Everything has it's physical (HW) limits as to how far you can reach from your modem to the next before the signal timing falls apart. The slower it is the farther you can get before buffering by a receiver to be retransmitted. You can talk to forever on the phone, real slow, or jam it up fast on Ethernet about 3 miles (um, 4.8 km?) max if the line driver's hot. In short, you have only so much time to get your info to the "Big Boys" so they can get it on down the line for you. Any modem can be internal or external to the CPU host box but if external, you want it on the network already in essence so need a NIC even if only dedicated to driving the external modem (could run to a hub first but is messy). You have a driver for the USB; you'll install a different driver for the NIC port and likely a virtual DSL driver for the Ethernet. A typical DSL protocol would be PPPoE. The ISP will provide or instruct as to such when setting up your account. They probably want to charge more for this because they'll lease you a NIC and the real DSL modem plus SW to glue it all together, and it very well might cost them more for their own leased IP blocks that have to run through their DSL DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexer) at the telco HO (Home Office). I suggest buying both when you can after identifying all requirements. In the end, if you have reliable 24/7 to the net, you'll never go back to less. Next step up? T-1 dedicated (fixed IP). Have a better one!