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[mike004]

I am a broadband newbie. I have just ordered a package from UK Online. They are shipping a Netgear DG834GT router, which I understand has an ethernet cable connection. So it should work OK with my old ThinkPad laptop, running Fedora Core 6 Linux. I do not plan to use the wireless capability of this router at the moment.

A couple of questions, regarding how to set up a Linux computer for broadband:

* I have installed a PCMCIA ethernet card in my laptop. Fedora recognises it OK. For the moment, I have given it a "dummy" IP address of 10.0.0.1, but when i connect up to the router, I expect I will need to reconfigure the card to DHCP? There is an option in the config dialog to do this, so no problem.
* Do I need to set up a DSL connection on Fedora?
* I have enabled a basic firewall on Fedora, and turned off most of the services I do not need. I understand that the router offers good protection from DoS attacks and the like. Any other simple measures I can make to secure my broadband connection?

Thanks
Mike

[kitz]

By default the Netgear has DHCP turned on... in which case it will automatically allocate an IP in the 192.168.0.x range to your machine

The routers IP address will be 192.168.0.1 so you are either best letting it pick up one itself..
OR allocating something like 192.168.0.2 to your ethernet card to enable them to communicate on the same subnet.

Firewall - the router has its own... and it also has the added protection of NAT so you should be fine.   I know some people also recommend a software firewall.. but for the past 6 years Ive not bothered with a software firewall.
If youre not going to be using wireless turn it off

[mike004]

By default the Netgear has DHCP turned on... in which case it will automatically allocate an IP in the 192.168.0.x range to your machine

The routers IP address will be 192.168.0.1 so you are either best letting it pick up one itself..
OR allocating something like 192.168.0.2 to your ethernet card to enable them to communicate on the same subnet.

Firewall - the router has its own... and it also has the added protection of NAT so you should be fine.   I know some people also recommend a software firewall.. but for the past 6 years Ive not bothered with a software firewall.
If youre not going to be using wireless turn it off

That doesn't sound too difficult.
Do I need to configure a DSL network connection in Fedora, and tell it to use eth0 (the PCMCIA card). Or will this happen automagically?

Mike

[roseway]

>> I expect I will need to reconfigure the card to DHCP? There is an option in the config dialog to do this, so no problem.

That's generally the easiest option, although as Kitz says, you can give it a fixed IP address in the right range for the router (192.168.0.x where x is between 2 and 254).

>> Do I need to set up a DSL connection on Fedora?

No, that option is for USB modems, which are much more problematic. With an ADSL router all you need is a working ethernet interface, which you've already set up.

Concerning firewalls, for a desktop computer you really don't need anything beyond what the router provides. Even with your Fedora firewall completely disabled, you'll find that a test site such as Shields Up will report a perfect result.

[mike004]

No, that option is for USB modems, which are much more problematic. With an ADSL router all you need is a working ethernet interface, which you've already set up.

I'm glad I took the advice on this board and went for a router rather than a cheapo USB modem.
I can't wait to get plugged in!
Mike

[roseway]

Exciting, isn't it?

[tuftedduck]

Exciting, isn't it?

That's not the word that TD was using last weekend......

[kitz]