schussat Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 I'm moving from dialup to cable modem in a week or so, and I'm starting to think about my tiny home network: A mdk9.0 desktop PC occasionally connected to a winXP laptop through a crossover cable. The desktop is hooked to a printer shared via SAMBA with the laptop, and I use SAMBA to share some files between the two computers. The desktop is also running sshd to allow occasional cygwin sessions from the laptop; and for syncing large sets of work-related files I use unison to connect from the laptop to the desktop (this connection runs through ssh as well). I don't currently have the desktop sharing its dialup connection; when I infrequently want to get online using the laptop, I just plug it in and dial. I'm new to cable, so this is mostly new territory for me. I'd like to connect the cable modem to a wireless router that also has ethernet ports, wire the desktop straight to the router, and connect wirelessly with the laptop -- and I'd like to keep sharing files and the printer, and using unison. So, a few questions: Will this all work? Will it work, but with an extremely high tinker to function ratio? Would anyone recommend (or discourage) a particular router? I appreciate any feedback and suggestions. Thanks- -Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technonoid Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.as...cid=35&prid=415 Would be something like I'd go for if I was wanting wireless. Also note the related products. Shouldn't be a problem at all setting up. I use Linksys in my boxes, ( XP and Linux and Linux and Linux). heheheee 3 to 1. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeg Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 Go to TigerDirect or any computer store or even your local WalMart and buy the lowest priced 802.11b complaint 'Cable/DSL Gateway Router' that you find and that has the features you want. I compared and found little difference between Belkin, SMC, Netgear, LinkSys, D-Link, TrendNet and so on through the manufacturers. Don't worry about 'high speed' 22/54Mbps unless you already have comparable high speed wireless cards. Expect to pay less than 50 USD after rebates for a good 11MBps gateway/router/WAP. Most gateway routers include a NAT firewall and 3 or 4 CAT5 connectors for your hardwire network. Some also include a serial port for a phone backup for your cable/DSL and a parallel printer port for a printer. I got lucky and found a close-out model with WAP, serial backup and printer server/port for $34.95. Most have Smoothwall inside. It's very easy to set them up with a web browser from any box in your little net. Good luck and have fun. Setting up your new mini-network will be one of the easier things you've tried if you're comfortable with Mandrake.[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 I love my linksys router (built-in 4 port switch) but if you like to have the occasional LAN party (see my LAN party how to ;) ) then I'd go with the linksys that has a built-in 8 port switch. Now, the fact that it uses NAT means you can have lots of PC's using your high speed without having to pay for more IP's, but don't be fooled into thinking NAT is a firewall (although it is close enough "legally" speaking so that the vendors can say their routers have built-in firewalls). You still need firewalls on each of the boxes behind the router. This is why I now recommend getting an old PC really cheap and throwing 2 network cards into it plus a switch. One connection goes to the cable modem and the other to the switch. (If you want to run a server and your ISP allows it I'd throw a third network card in there and have it go to the server) Next step is install mandrake on your new firewall/gateway/router and you're all set! For help with that if you choose that way to go (it is the securest way to go) all you have to do is pay us, your friendly neighbourhood mandrakeusers.org board a visit! This way you no longer need firewalls on each individual box. :) Hope this info is valuable to you! Edit: The linksys link above shows you the wireless version of my router. Be warned that if you want to go wireless (which your laptop may or may not support, can't remember if you said that) you need to get wireless network cards for all the PC's, including anyone else's when they come to your fantabulous LAN parties :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyme Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 some routers actually do have built-in firewalls. i know, i've configured one ;-) (it was a netgear, 4-port and also wireless, cost $40 or so after a mail-in rebate) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 Pretty much what I need to do?? Their are various options and it depends how you plan to expand or not and if your friends visit with laptops and ..... I only know French prices so it might not apply. The premise of this is that technology is changing quickly but especially in wireless. I don't want to commit to much money to any one item. The wireless appliance absolutely has to be a router. You can't use a HUB if your going to run NAT over IPTables. i.e. shorewall etc. This rules out a lot of the cheaper devices and then your looking at a high starting price for one with 3-4 ethernet ports. Not too limiting but if like me your friends tend to come with laptops .....then your looking at the more expensive 8 port+ routers. You can buy a 16 port 100mbit switch (wired) for 50$ or thereabouts. For me I'm looking at a combination of wireless and wired. It cuts down the price significantly. Wireless is expanding very quickly so the 802.11b is quickly ?? being replaced by 802.11g (as soon as they finalise it). For me I can't live with 10mb/s on my internal network. Those GB backups never end and streaming video .... I tried .... The 11mb/s offeredby 802.11b isn't going to help over 10 :D The 55mb/s on 802.11g is however looking promising. I like to leave the options open so if you have wireless between rooms but wired within this makes the individual components cheaper and hence more expendable. Putting all your money in one box makes it a big investment so your going to have to live with it for longer. With this in mind it might be worth looking at putting together the cheaper individual components. I don't like intergrated graphics/sound/NW for the same reasons. Seperate Modem (Ethernet): The simplest config IMHO is using an ethernet 'modem' as opposed to USB. Its a better investement for the future IMHO....+ getting network cards working under linux is trivial as opposed to some of the problems you have with USB. You aren't stuck with one distro if Mandrake go bust, all you need is a working linux and practically EVERY card is supported and they are REALLY CHEAP. I use Linksys in 100Mb/s full duplex but practically all commodity ones work straight out of the box. Seperate Router: I just use a P100 with 2 NW cards. You can also just plug your laptop in direct (if you ever need to) and just change your network settings (or not if its DHCP) and plug straight in. 8-16 port 10/100 switch, connected to wireless access point. In my case a sperate wireless access point in the living room for internet acces. Wireless card for laptop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schussat Posted August 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 Thanks to all of you for your replies. Thanks to a payroll glitch (my paycheck yesterday was a whopping $45, which is short, oh, about 40 hours), it will be a few more weeks before I can spring for the wireless router and wireless card for the laptop. So for the time being I'll just put another NIC in the desktop and share the connection with the laptop via ethernet. I've set up that kind of configuration using mandrake at my office, so it should be easy to replicate here at home (using shorewall; any comments on shorewall's security?). Treeg, your comments about smoothwall are sort of intriguing. Is there a way to identify which routers run smoothwall? If I can get my hands on a cheap old PC, I'd be really happy to run smoothwall as a dedicated router, per static's suggestion. The only problem there is that I seem to accumulate hardware pretty rapidly: cable model -> dedicated firewall -> switch -?-> wireless access point. Static, do you have any pointers to information on security of NAT gateway/routers versus a dedicated firewall? I trust you when you say they're not as strong as a true firewall, but on what specific grounds are they inadequate? Thanks again, everybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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