Starting May 11th, US West will offer another possible DSL modem/router to
people signing up for DSL.
The original hardware setup includes:
- Cisco 675 external DSL router/modem
- 3Com Ethernet card (for Windows users)
- Power cords
- Cables and connectors
The new hardware setup includes:
- Cisco 605 internal DSL router/modem
- Cables and connectors
The following is a comparison of what the differences and limitations are:
| Feature | Cisco 675
(External) | Cisco
605
(Internal) |
|---|
| Price | $95 | $45 |
| Possible Use |
Single PC
Multiple PCs
Local Area Network |
Single PC only |
| Notebook
Support | Yes | No |
| 486 Support | Yes | No |
| Macintosh | Yes | No |
| Unix/Linux | Yes | No |
| Power source | External--plugs into wall
outlet | Powered by PC |
| Connection Type | Constant
As long as
the 675 is on, the connection is active | Modem-like
You need to
tell the 605 to connect |
Basically, the internal Cisco 605 is the same as the external Cisco 675.
However, since it's internal there are some special features/limitations:
- The Cisco 605 acts as a network card, so you do not need to install
one
- The software required for the Cisco 605 only works in Windows 95/98
and Windows NT 4.0. If you have any other operating system, then
the 605 will not work.
- The 605 requires a PCI slot. If you do not have a PCI slot
available, then the 605 cannot be installed.
- Since it is a PCI card for PC's, the 605 will not work with laptop
computers.
- Since the 605 can only be installed in one computer, the DSL
connection will only be available to the computer the 605 is
installed in.
- The 675 offers a connection that is always active, like a network
(i.e. open up Netscape and start pulling up pages). By default the
605 needs to be told to connect, like a modem (i.e. tell the 605 to
connect and once it's connected, then open Netscape).
Given the above, you will need to go with the external Cisco 675 in the
following circumstances:
- if you are using a Macintosh
- if you are not running Windows 95/98/NT4
- if you want to use DSL on a laptop
- if you want to use the DSL connection on multiple computers
- if you want to share the DSL connection between multiple
computers
