Building a Network

[Linux Newbie <linux-newbie@home.com>]

Joe Newbie here...

I am wanting to build a home network... I want to use Linux as a router and 
firewall (I'm sick, I'm telling you, of these darned ol' windows crap 
things that keep crashing) to connect to my cable modem.

I tested a theory with a plain clean windoze 98 install to the cable modem 
- it seems all it wants is a TCP/IP connection via RJ45 connected to a box 
having a known "name" registered by the cable folks. The theory was I 
didn't need their junk (when I got the cable modem installed, a stupid tech 
(a real bubba) said he needed to install the @Home CD so the computer could 
talk to the cable modem) which seems to do strange things, monitors my 
machine, and does things I don't know about in the background. I hate big 
brother crap...

Here's my plan: I got a couple of 'old' machines (a P100 and a P266), a 
10/100 16-port switch, a few sundry NICs, and lots of time. I have never 
done networking using Linux before (I did have a box running Redhat 6.0 
with PPP last year, but it died in a nasty way...) and am somewhat clueless 
as to where to begin. I know I'll have to compile my own kernel (which 
intimidates me since I never done that either). To make sure I have the 
latest of the latest, I just finished downloading the latest RedHat 7.2, 
but am concerned that I may not have everything since I can't seem to 
locate the 3rd ISO (I know 7.1 had a 3rd CD...) I also recall something 
where Mr. Pritchard said he burned the third CD for the user group meeting. 
What's on that extra CD that I may need? Anyway, I plan to map this out 
tonight and start the install tomorrow. I want to get instructions from you 
on how to go about doing this - setting up networking, a proxy (perhaps) 
and a firewall. I read the HOW-TO but get confused too easily and have too 
short of an attention span to read instructions... I know I'll just dive in 
and begin, then read later when problems inevitably crop up. I thought by 
writing this message, perhaps you could give me a reader's digest condensed 
version of what I really need to do - step-by-step. How about .conf's and 
scripts? What about "naming" a computer? I don't recall ever seeing this? 
In the windoze box, in the networking dialog there is a tab where one can 
give the computer a name - how does this translate to Linux?

-- Joe
who is just starting out and putting crazy little phrases after his 
message... what a poser!


-
To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@luci.org with
"unsubscribe luci-discuss" in the body.