Re: [SLE] Have Cable Broadband ... need Router

Jeffrey L. Taylor wrote:

Quoting Thinker : [snip]

...

The question is, does the latest SuSE have an out-of-the-box fix for sharing a broadband connection? I am thinking I can come out of the cable modem into the Linux box on eth0 and have it handle the Firewall/Routing and DHCPing. Then come out of the linux box on eth1 to the switch and wireless access point connecting my other machines and my laptop to the network.

SuSE can do this fairly easily. It just takes some of your time. If you have more money than time, use a hardware router/firewall like those from LinkSyS, etc.

<blatant plug> For help on setting up the firewall, see:

http://www.unixreview.com/documents/s=8989/ur0408c/

</plug>

I have done it both ways. The firewall/router machine should not be your main machine. The other residents will not appreciate you "experimenting" and trashing their Internet connection. The firewall/router should be very stable, both hardware and software. Whichever route you go, keep it up to date.

A Linux box will be more flexible and can be made more secure. A hardware router requires less space, less air conditioning, and less time. Put firewalls on all the computers in addition to the dedicated router/firewall, where available. E.g., my WinXP computer has a firewall because WinXP includes a firewall, the Win98 and Win2k computer do not. (Yes, I'm cheap.) All my Linux computers have firewalls.

HTH, Jeffrey

I've heard that the LinkSys router has a limit to the number of ports that can be configured which is a bind if you are doing lots of stuff like VOIP, VPN, gnomemeeting/Netmeeting, gtk-gnutella etc. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Hamradio G3VBV and keen Flyer =====LINUX ONLY USED HERE=====