For everyone that hates their ADSL fish (manta ray, whatever, I call it a fish), but dosent wanna break their T&C's with their ISP, at last help might be at hand Very interesting news post over on ADSLguide.org.uk: http://www.adslguide.org.uk/newsarchive.asp?item=388 Basicially, a router called the Vigor 2200 USB should be available about now, at £179 + vat. Bit steep you say? Well, it's a vastly more compact way to have an indipendant ADSL router, complete with firewall *and* four port 10/100 switch. I know my p200 + Blekin USB card + switch cost a damn sight more than that! (dont actually use a p200 anymore, but did do for over 6 months) I'll definatly be in line to upgrade - free up some cupboard space
or you can get your old pc bit togeather and install smoothwall that's what i did for my cable network (amd k6-2 400 , 64 meg ram, s3 pci gfx 2x realtek 8139 nics , pc chips main bord), but sadley my sisters boyfirend has a small lan and my sister ask if he could brow the router, and he still has it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah, well, the particular problem for ADSL users is that the router connects to the computers USB interface... the last time I checked smoothwall didn't support it - but things might have changed. Either way, its still another PC using power and taking up room, when its job could be done by something no larger than a book.
Smoothwall fully supports USB and is damn reliable as a way of sharing the connection. It also acts as a good firewall, DHCP server, Web proxy, VPN, Intruder Detection Log, and has loads of other features. The USB sharing router is available at www.draytek.co.uk (a cable version is available), unfurtunately the bad news is you are still breaking the T & Cs by connecting it to a BTOpenworld Alcatel Modem. But screw BT, monygrabbing gits... Fly
what spec does smothwall need to run minimum, cos i got a copy here and a old box that i half inched from work (was gettin skipped).
will smoothwall run on a floppy ? I have a strange sub-flex/atx sized pc here, old set top box type thing (it has scart out on the motherboard !) it's a K5 PR100 with 32MB ram - and wierd dodgy chipsets....reckon it will run smoothwall ?
when I say run on a floppy I mean to say from a floppy - that is does it require a Hard Drive ? I had tried using 'Freesco' (www.freesco.org) but my system didn't like it. trying to use it as a dial on demand router - normal modem and a realtek 8139 nic
it does require a hard drive because it's files take between 60 and 80mb, depending on what settings you use. If you have any queries about SW you can go onto their IRC server and speak to the guys on there. There is always someone from the developing team there to help. It's on: irc.smoothwall.org 6667 You'll find them in the #smoothwall channel good luck. Fly
that's not tooo much, I have a 130meg drive I can spare for that freesco runs off 1 floppy, but that didn't work so that's no good. The main reason I wanted to run without a hard drive is noise - if you've got this machine on 24/7 the quieter you can make it the better. The 100MHz cpu don't need much cooling, and the PSU in this box I'm going to use doesn't have a fan, without a hdd it's near silent but now it's going to be all noisey
Can't you hide it in a cupboard or something? All config is done remotely from the protected PCs. Fly
