Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 7, 2011 21:42 UTC (Fri) by rahvin (guest, #16953)
In reply to: Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation by sxpert
Parent article: Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

I'd suggest you buy from Sangoma, Full Linux drivers and good software to run them.

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 8, 2011 1:45 UTC (Sat) by shemminger (subscriber, #5739) [Link] (5 responses)

That is not correct.
The Sangoma ADSL driver has binary only parts. The code for the rest of the other hardware is GPL. The developer didn't want to maintain it in mainline kernel and it was removed a couple of years ago.

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 10, 2011 18:05 UTC (Mon) by rahvin (guest, #16953) [Link] (4 responses)

It was my understanding that the binary blob was just the typical little chunk of uploadable firmware they all use.

Although the drivers aren't in the mainline they have great support and make sure it builds against everything. The only pain I had was upgrading the kernel alters the symbols of course and their software won't load the driver until you run their little utility to recompile it against the kernel. Everything was automated including building and installing the object. They also include all the software necessary including handshaking and obtaining an IP which negates the need for the PPPd daemon.

I liked their stuff, particularly their extensive Linux support to the point of being the primary focus of their business as most of their business is VOIP and asterisk is a big deal to them. AFAIK they are the only internal ADSL and ADSL2 card you can buy with Linux drivers (in kernel or not).

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 13, 2011 6:35 UTC (Thu) by xanni (subscriber, #361) [Link] (3 responses)

There are also the Traverse Technologies products:
http://www.traverse.com.au/productview.php

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 13, 2011 12:07 UTC (Thu) by xav (guest, #18536) [Link] (2 responses)

It's not really a PCI ADSL modem. It's an ADSL modem communicating through an ethernet port, all stuck on a PCI card.
I don't see the use of this.

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 13, 2011 12:44 UTC (Thu) by xanni (subscriber, #361) [Link]

Their old "Pulsar" ADSL1 product is a real DSL modem on a PCI card, and it looks like the Solos multi-port card is as well: "Open Source Linux ATM driver"

http://www.traverse.com.au/productview.php?product_id=116

Broadcom joins the Linux Foundation

Posted Jan 20, 2011 13:20 UTC (Thu) by nye (subscriber, #51576) [Link]

>It's not really a PCI ADSL modem. It's an ADSL modem communicating through an ethernet port, all stuck on a PCI card.

So is the Sangoma card, if you want the ADSL2 version.

(Also the Sangoma card seems to have problems with port forwarding. After a while (minutes, hours, or days depending on connection rate) connections to that port will just stop being forwarded until it's restarted. Since it isn't really a modem, you have very little choice but to use it as if it were a standalone router, since it doesn't have a half-bridge mode, or indeed any sensible bridging facility unless you're in a part of the world in which PPPoE bridging is an option. IE: the US. It also means you can't make bonded ADSL connections with two of them. Not that I'm bitter.)