[Gllug] simple network setup

[john gennard]

I'm trying to setup a very small home network, and badly
need some help. I've read a great deal, thought I 
understood most of the basics and now find I don't know
where to start.

The idea is to network two boxes each running Debian
Potato {kernels 2.2.19), and presently  accessing the net 
by dialup modem then adding a third box as a firewall 
with SmoothWall 0.99 installed. Also a neighbour has
offered to give me access to his network specifically
to use his permanent ADSL connection whilst he's a
work.

I've dealt with the physical aspects and have a 5 port
hub, cabling and Realtek NIC 8139 Cards installed. This
works (I borrowed a Win disk and accessed files and a
printer etc and am now back to Debian).

In contacting my ISP, I use two nameserver addresses
for most purposes and a third for SMTP. I seem to be 
allocated dynamic addresses.  
After mainly understanding network addresses, dotted
quad allocations and so on, it now seems I don't need
any of this - DHCP will do it for me in my position.

I think I should be able to install SmoothWall, if
I've understood the write-ups, but I'm d----d if I
know what to configure in the kernels (I'm cross-
eyed working through the help notes!).I do want
to recompile as I need to arrange scsi emulation
in order to use a CDRW. 

If someone has the time, I would appreciate knowing
what to compile into the kernel for my simple needs
(I only need green and red in SmoothWall). Also, I
can find the NIC cards referred to as 8139too.c
under drivers in the kernel directory, but not as
an option when compiling - are they some sort of
clone?

Then after kernel recompile, how do I configure 
each box? What programs to run and files to edit?
Also, to which box should the modem be physically
attached (I presume I'll not need two now)?
   
Assistance would be appreciated greatly. I've
started with computers at least 60 years too late
and so have missed the basic grounding and get
confused by the all embracing nature of the
profusion of literature. (Naturally, when I get
something sorted out and appreciate what happens,
I can't understand what the confusion was about).

Regards,                john.

-- 
Gllug mailing list  -  Gllug at linux.co.uk
http://list.ftech.net/mailman/listinfo/gllug