Up spake Jim on Mon, Jan 20, 2003 at 11:19:40AM -0800: > Thanx Mr. Salzman for helping me with my posting woes.
*having difficulty thinking of Peter as "Mr. Salzman"* > I am very new to computers let alone the linux operating >system. I am very interested in buying some new hardware, >suse linux professional 8.1 software, and some other >things to make a local area network in my house for my >family and me. I feel like saying, as a preface to all of this, that you have some learning ahead of you. Don't panic--there's tons of online help out there, and we're certainly here to help--the absolute LAST thing I want to do is put you off this project, but I want to be clear about the scope of your undertaking. You're making a transition from "new to computers" to, frankly, expert-level competence. You'll do it, we want you to do it, but it will not be a weekend or even a two-weekend project. For hardware, you'll need, in addition to everyone's desktop systems, 1) a computer to be your firewall, and 2) a separate computer to be your router. These can be old machines. In fact, it's a great use for old machines. > I am going to get cable broadband very soon and want to >have linux as my server. My family uses another OS besides >linux. Can I still run these non linux systems off of my >future linux server via LAN? Yes. The language that computers speak to each other (TCP/IP) is the same for all systems. > Does linux have easily >configurable firewalls? Can I easily adjust settings so >my teenage daughter can't log on the internet at 2:30 in >the morning? (Let me commend you on your easy acceptance of good security procedures. Your implicit assumption that a firewall is essential is absolutely correct.) Depends on what you mean by "easily configurable". Linux makes very *powerful* firewalls, by which I mean that you can do pretty much anything you want. Alas, as is common in life, the tradeoff is frequently ease of use. Many people use a special Linux distro called "LEAF", which is designed to be a firewall. Other people will roll their own, often using an application called iptables. The daughter thing sounds fairly straightforward to me (not that I've tested this, you understand); selectively block access to device eth0 (Linux's internal name for the ethernet port) based on user name and time of day. >Do I have to worry about what modem I can or can not use? Yes, unfortunately. You want to avoid the whole class of what are called "Winmodems". These are very inexpensive l'il modems that farm out all their computations to the main CPU. The manufacturers don't tell us how they work, so it's tough to get them to work. As a rule of thumb, external modems are usually OK while internal modems are usually not OK. But you won't need modems for what you're describing; modems are used to dial other modems (e.g. for dial-up Internet access). After you get high-speed access, you'll have a permanent connection. --nicole twn *** "Say you decide to call it quits after the first exam. <draws stick figure atop a building on the board> Down here <draws more stick figures> are all your friends, laughing and mocking you as you fall. That's the important part. All mocking you as you fall."--former math professor, lecturing on air resistance Visit www.nicolopolis.com ... digital nonsense for a weary world. _______________________________________________ vox-tech mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
