PPPoE vs. Bridged ADSL

Wed Oct 28 22:33:58 UTC 2009

   Most aDSL modems if set to PPPoE (I think Actiontec's come this way by
   default) will send the mac as the pppoe un/pw.
   David E. Smith wrote:

Opinions on this? I'd be interested in hearing the latest real world
experience for both and the direction most folks are going in.

I can't speak to which would be better on copper specifically, but in

general I'd favor DHCP over PPPoE. Either way, most of the back-end stuff
will be similar (you'll need a way to authenticate users, turn them off and
on, et cetera); the differences won't be all that big. Either you're storing
their MACs in a database, or their port assignments and VLAN tags, or their
usernames and passwords.

With PPPoE, however, the end-user can't just plug in and go - they'll have
to configure their PC, or a DSL modem, or something. That means a phone call
to your tech support, most likely. In many cases, DHCP can lead to
plug-and-play simplicity, which means they don't have to call you, and you
don't have to answer their calls. Everyone wins. :)

David Smith
MVN.net

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Walter Keen
Network Technician
Rainier Connect
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