Image description:
Shopping for a laptop as a Linux user:
Screenshot from the Simpsons where Otto is talking to Marge and Homer standing next to a window in their house with a caption “Oh wow, windows!.. I don’t think I can afford this place.”
Image description:
Shopping for a laptop as a Linux user:
Screenshot from the Simpsons where Otto is talking to Marge and Homer standing next to a window in their house with a caption “Oh wow, windows!.. I don’t think I can afford this place.”
Nice list, I would add routers (not everywhere). But for example here in Germany you get a device from your ISP for free but don’t try to change the DNS settings because your ISP wants to know what you are doing online.
Only alternative is a fritzbox which is highly overpriced for a simple router+modem. >200€ for a cablerouter.
I had to buy a used fritzbox, need to nearly hacked them for activating the deactivated bridge-mode and put a cheap Asus router on it with flashed openwrt.
I needed 6 months for the whole setup.
Unless you are using DoH or DoT it does not matter which DNS server you have configured on the modem/router, DNS requests are sent as plain text so your ISP can still see them and will know which sites you are seeing.
OpenWRT with DoH or DoT bypasses that problem, alternatively a VPN with custom DNS. Also a Pihole or Adguard instance never hurt. But at the end of the day someome owns those DNS servers and will likely log your use.
That’s exactly my setup. Openwrt + stubby + DoT. Which points to an external AdguardHome + unbound. Wireguard is also used.
You can double nat if you want.
You can’t just buy a modem? And modems are really that pricey where you are?. I can get a modem router combo for $150. Maybe $200 if I want to splurge a little bit that meets most of my needs. And then if you’re really worried about like linksys OS or something like that, you can just flash DDWRT onto it? I’m not saying the United States service providers are better, but does Germany service providers really make it that complicated to just have your own modem? Because it’s a super simple process in America. 6 months just seems insane to set up a router and modem
It takes so long because I wasn’t aware for example that my ISP (the only available in my destination) only accepts their own routers or fritzbox. So I had to send back some cheap routers which aren’t usable.
Getting knowledge about hidden bridge mode was a time eater too.
Pretty sure AT&T in the US requires the use of their “U-verse” modems with a lot of their internet options. I think comcast locked unlimited data behind using their modem unless you wanted to pay more for the unlimited data than they charge for the modem. I never tried turning on bridge mode on them though, so no clue if that’s enabled or not.
No isp in the us can require you to use and rent their modem. I have Comcast unlimited is just another tier like all their other bs. Its not locked to a modem.
But AT&T does or at least did. You can/could put it in bridge mode though and use a secondary one. https://support.eero.com/hc/en-us/articles/207988076-Setting-up-eero-with-AT-T-U-verse https://forums.att.com/conversations/att-internet-equipment/can-i-use-a-different-modem-and-router-to-connect-with-uverse-internet/5df0012dbad5f2f6063a903b https://robotpoweredhome.com/att-modems/
For Comcast, I never said you can’t just get unlimited. Just that it cost more than getting the modem with unlimited: https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/data $25/month for modem+unlimited while its $30/month for unlimited. Cheaper to take the modem even if you don’t use it.