[TriLUG] geek-friendly ISP's

[Jason Tower]

as it happens, i just got word from intrex today that they are 
continuing their trilug sponsorship, including both parts and dsl 
service.  i'll post the details shortly.

Alan Porter wrote:
> 
> Over the past year, BellSouth has been gradually making
> changes to their DSL network.  In the process, they have
> started blocking port 25, incoming and outgoing.  For them,
> it's a necessity to keep the spam traffic down.  For me,
> it solved my spam problem completely... in fact, it cut
> off ALL of my email!
> 
> Before we get into a discussion about terms and conditions,
> I know that they don't want their customers running servers
> of any kind (I wonder why they switched me to a fixed IP).
> 
> Anyway, THAT IS NOT THE POINT of this email.
> 
> The point is: I want an ISP that will let me run services.
> 
> BellSouth's solution was for me to upgrade to Business class
> DSL, a $90/month package (plus $26 local line).
> 
> I have heard good things about Intrex DSL (which is resold
> BellSouth service).  Intrex's T&C also say "no servers".
> But I hear that their sales staff are happy to help out
> TriLUG members by bending those rules.  Their service is
> $45/mo for 1.5 mbps.  But I'd have to keep my BellSouth
> local service ($26) because BS will not run "naked" DSL.
> 
> Time Warner is $45/mo for ~3-5 mbps.  I could dump BellSouth
> altogether, but I'd probably want to get some sort of phone
> service to replace them, maybe Vonage ($15 or $25) or Packet8
> ($10).
> 
> Then there are cable resellers, like Earthlink ($42).  Again,
> add $10-$25 for VOIP.
> 
> So there's this complex mix of cost vs services (internet,
> phone, TV, etc).  But then there's also attitude.  If I
> switch to Time Warner and they block ports also, then I
> have not gained any ground.
> 
> One alternative that I have been looking at recently is
> "sucky local access" plus "an outpost".  I signed up for a
> unixshell# account ($8) and now I simply tunnel port 25
> from my unixshell# virtual server to my house through SSH.
> With this setup, BellSouth could block ALL incoming ports
> and I could simply use their line as a VPN link to my outpost,
> which has a fixed IP.  It sounds good in theory, but in
> practice unixshell# has a hard time keeping their virtual
> servers up during the last week while I have been trying
> them out.
> 
> Just curious, what do other folks run?  Specifically, I am
> interested in people who run services (SMTP/POP/IMAP, VPN,
> whatever) from their homes.
> 
> Are you always one step ahead of the ISP cops?  Or did you
> get some free ticket to run what you want?  What kind of
> pipe did you get?  How much did it cost?
> 
> As always, thanks for the suggestions, comments, and even
> the occasional hijacked thread into OT never-never land.
> 
> 
> Alan
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