Help me understand connection to internet: Infrastructure and ISP

[Dotan Cohen]

Several times I have been caught in the situation in which the
Infrastructure (Hot in this particular case) and the ISP (012 in this
particular case) blame each other for the customer not having internet
access. I need to understand this.

After two weeks of my mother-in-law not having internet access, during
which 012 blamed Hot and Hot blamed 012, I get there to take care of
the issue. At Hot they tell me that since the modem lights are fine (4
lit, one flashing) the problem must be with 012. At 012 they tell me
that because she connects without a Dialer (as all Linux customers do)
they cannot trace the problem any further than a superficial check
which checks out OK. 012 "sees" the modem, so they say the problem
must be with Hot.

Apparently, the ability to trace problems is the reason that Windows
users must use a Dialer. Furthermore, at 012 they inform me that it is
Hot, not 012, that is providing the internet outside because there is
no dialer. They say that they gave Hot "permission" to connect me
directly to the internet this way. So if Hot can provide connections
out, then why do we need ISPs at all? I notice that no other nation in
Europe has this Infrastructure/ISP dichotomy.

Furthermore, the next time that there is a problem how can I check if
the issue is with the infrastructure or with the ISP?

Thanks!

-- 
Dotan Cohen

http://gibberish.co.il
http://what-is-what.com