TekSavvy → Questions on TS's application form page

Hi,
I'm in the process of filling up TS' service and got a few questions that i don't understand and would like some inputs from you all and Thanks in advance.

FYI:
I'm coming from bell's sympathy-dic-co dsl service..been with them 6 years and have enough of everything being said by everyone.

I just purchased a ST 516 v6 today

1)
Does TS provide bandwidth tracking to their users? if yes, how accurate is it?

2)
there's a section where you can purchase Static IP's, if i don't buy any ips, can i still use multiple PC (ie 3+) on a hub/switch on TS?

(i'm currently using a hub and shared 3 pc on it)

Will TS drop my internet (pc) if i used more than 1 public ip?

this is very important to me as i share with everyone in my house.

3)
"Are you planning to use a router such as a D-Link, LinkSys, or Netgear?"

what would this mean if i say "YES"? and what if "NO"?
i supposed this related to Q# 2) ?

how will this affect my connection and or sharing of internet usage?

4)
Should i wait til my sympatico's service ended first BEFORE I sign up with TS? or I should order it before my term ends with bell?

Thank you all for your inputs

Regards,
David

you can use a router all you want.. in fact I'm pretty sure 90% of people with internet do
Many people here have routers + modem combos.
The additional IP's is only for those who want more than 1 static IP, and the question re: routers is probably for configuration of a modem (if you buy one?)

thankss recneps,
how about a switch? bc everyone like to dis/connect when they use/don't use the internet and don't want 'always' on[the internet]

this means i will take up at lease 3 public IPs

The hub/switch/router differences were always past me (i never bothered to look up the difference, lol)
but as far as i know, you get 1 IP for your gateway (router, hub, switch, etc) and the other computers connect through that.
any more is extra (and unnecessary, really)

The only time you'd need 3 dedicated IP's would be if you wanted 3 dedicated servers with different IP's.

To answer the unanswered ones...Yes, you can check your usage online via our website. It updates every 6 hours.No, although as mentioned, you'd need 1 static IP plus the appropriate subnet if you need additional public IP's. If there's no specific need for it though, you could get away with 1 dyanmic IP for the account.Generally we recommend you match up their disconnect date with our activation date, but the most important thing is to if possible get the reference order number for the disconnect from Bell, and let us know that you're migrating from Sympatico. We'd relay that info to our end of Bell and do our best to make sure there's no service interruption.

Regards,
Dave

Are you sure you mean public ip when you say it? Routers doing DHCP issue private ip numbers. If the only reason for wanting public ip numbers vs private ones is to eliminate the 'always on' connection, just install the free version of Zone Alarm on each PC and have its owner click the little lock icon to lockout that particular PC.

Otherwise, $40/mth and a router and all three of you are good to go unlimited.

I'm using a hub which does not issue private IPs, instead, i'm using public IPs (76.64.bnx.okj.) and all 3 computers uses different IPs....so after i switched to TS, I"m fine with the setup I'm currently have now?
Thanks again

If only one computer uses the internet at any given time, then you're fine. Otherwise, my experience has been (when I tried this many many months ago) that TS will disconnect all but one of the connections (the most recent one?) periodically.

If you have a need for 3 public IPs, then get static IPs, or 1 Teksavvy DSL line + 2 login accounts... otherwise you can just buy a router. If you connect the ST 516v6 directly to your switch and use DHCP + the ST's PPPoE (ie, the PCs do not use the Windows' client to connect to the internet), then you're also okay as the ST doubles as a router in that case.

COOL zinc!

that answered my questions. I'll just use ZA just as ftp1020 suggested.

so, on this question:
3)
"Are you planning to use a router such as a D-Link, LinkSys, or Netgear?"

I answer 'YES"?

thanks

If you want, you can use pfsense as a router/firewall. It will map each public IP to a private IP with only 1 PPPoE seesion. I am going to assume since you are using a switch with multiple machines you are starting up pppoe for each of them. thats alot of overhead.

i have a similar setup.
st516 with no nat. non routed.
then i have a router connected to the modem via lan port. not wan. and i assign all connected pc's static ip setup. and disable dhcp on the router. and firewall as well. this works fine for me.

a switch or hub will work....

516 with dhcp enabled ------- [switch] or [hub]
| |
| |
pc pc

Yes, I don't understand the confusion, since the ST516v6 IS a router as well as a modem.

You wouldn't even need to download zonealarm, all you have to do is disable the LAN connection from the Network Settings page if you don't want to go on the internet...

You can even set it up so the little icon stays on your taskbar, do you can click it directly from anywhere and "disconnect".

Your router would be on as you dictate, but it's safe, since it blocks nearly every port by default.