Multi-drop PPPoE (Re: [ale] Mindspring/Earthlink DSL and linux?)

[Dow Hurst]

I also am watching this discussion as I just received my
Mindspring/Earthlink DSL install kit.

I am thinking that since I have an old 386 I can bring up, that running
Coyote Linux thru the floppy would be cost effective.  How important is
the CPU power of the router if that is the CPU's only purpose?  I agree
that a small appliance that is fanless and small would contribute to the
quality of the work environment.  That is an important side to home
networking that can easily be forgotten until you have to put it all
together!

How does router performance relate to CPU power?  I have an old 486DX100
and an older 386DX40 as possible router machines.  The Alcatel/Zyxel DSL
modem which I received doesn't do NAT but does have "device" filtering
but not "protocol" filtering capabilities.  I don't have any experience
with creating rulesets based on offset bits and octal masks for
filtering packets so I'll want to stick to protocol filtering under
netfilter or ipchains.  That means the router machine will actively
filter causing load on the CPU.

What happens to the CPU equation when you add services such as DHCP,
DNS, email, and so on?  Wouldn't the perceived performance in the
network depend more on the number of clients using those services as to
how the load on the CPU scaled?  Thanks,
Dow


Susan Liebeskind wrote:
> 
> I'm watching this discussion with interest as I currently have Mindspring
> DSL and a Linux Gateway (RH 6.2, and I need to upgrade the kernel, I know)
> and Roaring Penguin PPPoE.
> 
>  ---
> 
> I'd like to replace my Linux gateway box which is running on old and
> failing hardware, and have thought long and hard about dumping the PC in
> favor of the Linksys DSL router.  It would free up a huge amount of space
> in the home office.
> 
> But...am I correct in that you CANNOT do IP masquerading through the
> Linksys DSL router?  One of the boxes at home is an old Solaris box, and I
> don't want the hassles of trying to find a PPPoE client for Solaris.
> One of the recent postings suggested that every client connecting through
> the DSL router must be running PPPoE, and that's not worth it to me.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Susan
> ===========================================================================
> Susan Liebeskind (susan.liebeskind at gtri.gatech.edu)
> GTRI/ITTL/CSITD
> 347 Ferst St                                     Fax   404-894-9081
> Atlanta, GA  30332-0832                          Phone 404-894-4266
> 
> 
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-- 
__________________________________________________________
Dow Hurst                   Office: 770-499-3428
Systems Support Specialist  Fax:    770-423-6744
1000 Chastain Rd.
Chemistry Department SC428  Email:dhurst at kennesaw.edu
Kennesaw State University         Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com
Kennesaw, GA 30144
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