hardware questions (router/firewall)

I picked up an IPAD 2500 (Internet Protocol Adapter) intending to play with it as a firewall/internet gateway.

Ipad 2500
Pentium processors at 166MHZ
2 GB hard drive
Intel LAN card (PRO/100)
8 MB memory
two PS/2 ports
one monitor port
2 serial ports
1 parallel port

Networking software with fully integrated firewall and NAT router is installed, I have the software disks and manual.

My problem is that I simply can't figure out how to connect through it as a firewall/gateway on a dial up connection.

The manual instructions are:

Quote:

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connect your remote internet feed wire to the Model 2500's provider port.
Modem. Connect the telephone wire from the feed port to your telephone jack.

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I can't figure out what they are talking about, the only place I have to attach anything even remotely close to a phone cord is the LAN card, which I have attached to my computer with a cross over cable.

I'm hoping that I have supplied enough information here to allow somebody to point me in the proper direction. I want to use it as a firewall, I have only one computer I want to have internet access through it at the moment, but soon will have 2 computers networked with it.

I have spent LOTS of google time on this, I can't find any further documentation links for the product or software.

I'm including pics that show the rear of the IPAD and a view of the NIC card (just so ya'll know I'm not blind and there really is noplace for a phone line.)

If you want to use it as a firewall you'll need at least 2 networkcards or is there a modem build in?

Edit: Scratch that. Just reread it.

You probably need to attach a standalone (external) modem to one of the serial ports. Or does it have ISA/PCI slots to hold an internal modem?
What kind of OS is it running?

it's running DOS 6.22. I think you may be correct about needing an external modem for dial - up connection, although the documentation I received with it isn't very clear at all.
I'm growing rather frustrated with the whole thing, I've never had so much trouble finding information about a product before.

If it's running DOS it should be a reasonable i386 compatible machine. If you have a spare slot (pci/isa) I would install an internal modem or an extra networkcard and reinstall the whole thing with Linux or *BSD (console only, no X-Windowing System).

Edit: Hmm. Just got a brainwave. I think IPADs where used to connect to an X.25 network. That's probably why it isn't there anymore (X.25 modems were usually external). There's no real use for X.25 modems anymore (eventhough some companies still operate them) so they probably threw that away.