Linux Router

[Threx]

I wish to turn my old machine. p100, 2gig HD into a router, with upwards of 16 ports. Though, only 5 or 6 ever in use.

However, I am stuck with a few questions:
1. What would be the 'idea' distro for such a project? Most distros ive seen take up retarded ammounts of space, but that may just be the GUI aspects of them.

2. Cat 5 Cable. Since its funtioning as a router, would I still need to cross overs to connect to my windows box? Or is there software that allows for a standard CAT5 to be used? sweatdrop

[Imaruki]

Try Damn Small Linux.

[grundal]

Threx

I wish to turn my old machine. p100, 2gig HD into a router, with upwards of 16 ports. Though, only 5 or 6 ever in use.

However, I am stuck with a few questions:
1. What would be the 'idea' distro for such a project? Most distros ive seen take up retarded ammounts of space, but that may just be the GUI aspects of them.

2. Cat 5 Cable. Since its funtioning as a router, would I still need to cross overs to connect to my windows box? Or is there software that allows for a standard CAT5 to be used? sweatdrop

i turned a computer with a smaller HD into a router ... I used slackware {you don't need to install everything}

honestly what I do to work around the whole ports thing is take a switch run a cat5 from the switch to the router ... then run the rest of the ports on the switch to the other computers

I think there are network cards built for this kind of thing also

also there are other distros that are build just for being a router ...
something you might want to look into ... is a CD based distro ... I know it sounds odd for a router ... but it can be a life saver in case of being hacked ... if theres an update just burn a new cd with the update .. and since theres no way for anything to be perminit theres no way a hacker can do anything to compleatly trash that computer since a reboot and everything is back to normal

[Threx]

grundal

i turned a computer with a smaller HD into a router ... I used slackware {you don't need to install everything}

honestly what I do to work around the whole ports thing is take a switch run a cat5 from the switch to the router ... then run the rest of the ports on the switch to the other computers

I think there are network cards built for this kind of thing also

also there are other distros that are build just for being a router ...
something you might want to look into ... is a CD based distro ... I know it sounds odd for a router ... but it can be a life saver in case of being hacked ... if theres an update just burn a new cd with the update .. and since theres no way for anything to be perminit theres no way a hacker can do anything to compleatly trash that computer since a reboot and everything is back to normal

Thanks, I'm trying to avoid any other hardware other then the linux box. money constraints you know.

Live CDs are always useful, but im super terrible with losing CDs ;P

[grundal]

Threx

grundal

i turned a computer with a smaller HD into a router ... I used slackware {you don't need to install everything}

honestly what I do to work around the whole ports thing is take a switch run a cat5 from the switch to the router ... then run the rest of the ports on the switch to the other computers

I think there are network cards built for this kind of thing also

also there are other distros that are build just for being a router ...
something you might want to look into ... is a CD based distro ... I know it sounds odd for a router ... but it can be a life saver in case of being hacked ... if theres an update just burn a new cd with the update .. and since theres no way for anything to be perminit theres no way a hacker can do anything to compleatly trash that computer since a reboot and everything is back to normal

Thanks, I'm trying to avoid any other hardware other then the linux box. money constraints you know.

Live CDs are always useful, but im super terrible with losing CDs ;P

well ... theres basicly two routes ... expensive network cards that do the cross over internaly ... or a switch ... the switch would be the cheapest way to go as you only need 2 network cards in the machine then

[Threx]

grundal

well ... theres basicly two routes ... expensive network cards that do the cross over internaly ... or a switch ... the switch would be the cheapest way to go as you only need 2 network cards in the machine then

HMmm, interesting.

Ive always wondered why there arnt drivers to do change how the OS intereprits the data. So a straightthrough could be reconized as crossover. But i'm sure there is a good reason.

[grundal]

Threx

grundal

well ... theres basicly two routes ... expensive network cards that do the cross over internaly ... or a switch ... the switch would be the cheapest way to go as you only need 2 network cards in the machine then

HMmm, interesting.

Ive always wondered why there arnt drivers to do change how the OS intereprits the data. So a straightthrough could be reconized as crossover. But i'm sure there is a good reason.

mainly has to do with the fact that the cross over links the rx port to the tx port and Vise Versa ... trying something like that in software could fry the network card