Help: ADSL / Mandrake Linux gateway

Hello people,

I have bitten the bullet and ordered a permanent broadband connection :)

I am basically seeking a advice and guidance on setting up a secure network at home with a ADSL connection. At the moment I am running a 56k modem (dynamic IP assigned) through a Mandrake Linux gateway off which my Win XP box hangs. I use the Linux box, right or wrong to run a small webserver & firewall. The box has been pretty well locked down with Bastille, msec etc.. with no cgi etc.. etc.. on the webserver.

I am wondering if anyone has (and I am sure there will be a few) set up a similar network with an ADSL (ethernet) modem with a static IP provided from the ISP. I have never dealt with a static IP before or a second network card in the machine so I am just curious over the assigning of IP's etc... to set the whole thing up.

I ordered everything today and it will take about 20 days for everything to arrive / be set up, we cant rush the phone company technicians to throw the switch in the exchange :) and I am looking at any pitfalls that might befall me. The modem I have ordered is recommended by Mandrake so I dont envisage any problems getting the device recognised.

It may be a case of click and point in the networking section of the Mandrake Control Centre and putting in the right numbers, but I thought I would get in early and get some advice from people who have been there before.

Any assistance / advice / links will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

PP

Hmmm, I can tell you about dynamic IPs with PPPoE, but I've never had a static IP on DSL. Do you know what protocol they use? And what kind of modem did you order?

I imagine it will be pretty much point and click with Mandrake. That was the first distro I used on my firewall for a long time, and it pretty much set itself up. As for the second network card, Mandrake will take care of it for you. When you run the wizard it will refer to the cards by module name and interface name (i.e., 8139too (eth1)) so you can tell them apart. I assign my internal interace 192.168.1.1 and my external 10.0.0.10. I believe Mandrake will default to those, but as I said, that's for my dynamically addigned IP and it doesn't really matter what I give the external interface.

If I can help, give me a buzz.

Some companies do offer static IPs on DSL connections. They charge an arm and a leg though :)

/me goes back to lurking

problemchild,

thanks and I believe reading the online literature it will be PPPoA with a D-Link 300 modem and the ISP gives you a static IP. Looking at the online reading I have a little configuring to do to get things up and running, another sharp learning curve for linux awaits :). I am hoping that Mandrake will take a bit of the guess work out of things to start with and from your reply it appears it does.

Mahakaal, this is for a 512/128 connection, 4GB monthly limit, static IP for around $40 US / month, not to bad I thought.

Thanks for the replies - when I master it I may have to pen out a tutorial :)

PP

I'm not sure, but I believe PPPoA involves a little kernel patching. But Mandrake is already so heavily patched they might already have it. It shouldn't be a big deal to get it going, though.