DSL modem

The last link you provided is almost a complete computer! It even uses coreboot. Never seen something like that, it seems you would be able to use it as a router/modem/firewall device as long as your ISP supports the ADSL standards this thing understands (my ISP for example switched me to Annex J, which is not supported by this device!).

It's a very cool thing to play around with and seems to be absolutely free software friendly. If I had lots of spare time (and my ISP wouldn't insist on Annex J), I'd try this thing out.

Be sure to check eBay - and such markets, and stores, which also sell refurbished and used cards.

I'm now in the process of solving the fact that I couldn't run the "nouveau" (free) graphics driver on my main computer, by having bought a 15 € manufacturer refurbished card, on a Portuguese equivalent of eBay, and I couldn't find such a compatible card (with my motherboard) anywhere else.

Also, some simple search engines' uses have helped me find specific produtcs, in the past, by searching for the product's key words with the terms "sell" or "buy".

Good luck.

I'm not convinced there actually is a free software friendly solution right now. You might be getting closer with some of these although I'd be hesitant to call them truly free software friendly.

I looked into an ADSL PCI modem that was suppose to have the code available. Unfortunately the source they point you to is missing critical pieces. It doesn't actually compile and never will. I'm not sure there is actually anyone who has the complete code for it either (my suspicion is it was lost when somebody somewhere left the company). A few people have attempted to get the complete code (as it is under the GNU GPL, and without it being complete can't be compiled) and failed. I'm pretty confident there is a license violation here too.

I'm investigating the traverse router board. Sent an email to them. What I'm not seeing is the source code to the firmware for the ADSL modem portion. There is source to the driver portion although after a thorough investigation of the code I've concluded it's not posted anywhere that I could find it. I'm also not seeing code for the openwrt images. The openwrt code might have all gone upstream and you could use those sources... that would be OK. It would be nice if they linked to a download or otherwise made clear where the complete sources are available from.

> So... is there any way I can connect to ADSL using free
> {soft,firm}ware?

Short of getting a big research grant to test all the ADSL routers
with GPL software in existence there is no way of answering that.
SoC manfuacturers are crap, to give you an idea there's probably over
a thousand different ARM SoCs with GNU/Linux bundled with them and
precisely two have got enough code into Linux mainline for Debian to
support them from their mainline based build process.

> If not, that's disappointing. In that case, could someone recommend
> the "least bad" solution? ADSL and 56k are the only two connection
> methods available to me, and realistically I can't get by with
> dialup
> speed, so it has to be ADSL.
>
> If there is no completely free solution, what's the "most free", if
> there is one? Is it the Solos PCI card? I'd rather not use the
> non-free blob, but if it's the only way for me to connect to the

I have already answered this. Read the DD-WRT.com homepage and then
lots and lots both there and on OpenWRT and work out for yourself if
the Buffalo WBMR-HP-G300H is working well enough to do what you want
right now. If you're concerned about your internal network security
then read the Linux Networking HOWTO and Network Administrators'
Guide and see if constructing a DMZ barrier your side of the ADSL
router with one of the LibreWRT supported Buffalo routers is a good
thing for you.

Flashing a router with beta firmware must be backed up with lots of
careful research, there are many gotchas. So make sure you do the
legwork first.

A 56k modem will have non-free firmware to process the AT commands in
any event. So you'd not gain any freedom.

The Solos will _never_ be supported in Trisquel. Why move to a
non-free GNU/Linux for your PC for the sake of a PCI card you don't
nhave to use? Better putting the proprietary poison in a different
physical box IMO.

> Internet, I'll have to, right? I mean, it's gotta be better than the
> proprietary Linksys router I'm using now.

To quote myself 'Always seek to maximise your software freedom.' As
of now getting by without any devices with non-free software, or
indirectly using some businesses etc use to provide goods and
services to you (e.g. banks) is impossible. So simply maximisng is
all you can do.

Leny