>From: Richard Rauch <rkr@olib.org>
>
>(Speaking of DSL modems, I wish I had a little electronic switch that
>I could open/close by controlling the DTR serial pin, say.  My modem often
>loses synch (my ISP says that all DSL modems do this) and can't resynch
>on its own, about once every week or three.  The only way to get it back
>to life is to cycle the modem's power (!@#$ brain-damage inspired by
>MS, no doubt).  For a non-hardwawre type, is there an inexpensive part
>or switch that will let me do this?  

I have some engineering experience with DSL modems and if you're in
the US, I think I know what's inside.  You really will have to cycle
the power.  Can't blame MS for this one, it's just poor system engineering
& product management..  somewhere, it's dereferencing a function pointer
which points to 0.  :-)  There was always the idea that these modems 
would be 'field programmable' so that firmware could be updated, but--
surprise-- that feature itself was buggy, and early modems were expected
to be replaced quickly (before the telcom meltdown, that is).  Ha!


>The best any electronics places could
>suggest was an X10 module which is overkill and way too much trouble, as
>well as probably being 10 to 100 times more expensive than what I think I
>really need...)

Here's a better solution.  Go down to target and buy one of those 
appliance timers that you can set to go on/off at certain times.
Just set it so that it turns off at 3 A.M. and back on at 3:15 A.M. 
every day (can do it once per week, but the cheapest kind for $5 only
allow single-day settings).


There's another solution, too.  Cancel your service, or threaten to.
DSL protocols have changed significantly over the past several years 
and if you force your local telco to upgrade their line card, they'll 
give you the new modem for free.  Or, you could tell them you've bought
a macintosh (help desk key word for "non techie user aggrivated by
technology") and you need a service tech to re-install your software.  
They'll send you a new modem self-install kit instead, 'cause it's way
cheaper than the truck roll.  


--JC