[ubuntu-uk] Configuring Virgin cable modem

[Paul Sutton]

Rob Beard wrote:
> dianne reuby wrote:
>   
>> When I installed Ubuntu two years ago, it picked up my ntl/Virgin cable 
>> modem immediately. The modem was using a USB connection.
>>
>> Last week the gas company dug up the pavement and managed to break my 
>> Virgin cable and, as the Virgin engineers found today, also concrete 
>> over the break. While they're waiting for their colleague with the 
>> pneumatic drill to visit, they've set up a temporary connection and also 
>> given us a new modem as ours was very old. However it only has ethernet 
>> connections - this is working fine on my husbands XP, but not on Ubuntu 
>> (8.10 installed or 8.04 LiveCD). My ethernet controller is  Realtek 
>> RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
>>     

How does this happen?

When I was in canada I had to bury electrical cables under ground,  this 
involved digging a trench, laying the cables (ormoving them in to the 
trench,  then putting some soil on top, THEN laying red warning tape on 
top,  then burying that,  that way in a few years time if someone is 
digging they know there is electrical cable in that area,   surely the 
same sort of thing applies to gas and water mains,  there should be some 
sort of system in place to warn people of what is buried in the ground,

Paul