One more thing to add to Gavin's post.  The Linksys also allows you to
selectively forward ports to specific machines to let the outside world come
into the system you specify.  I have enabled the telnet (21) and ftp (23) ports
to forward to the HP e3000.  This means I can log into the 3000 from anywhere
or ftp to it.

Kind regards,

Denys. . .

Denys Beauchemin
HICOMP
(800) 323-8863  (281) 288-7438         Fax: (281) 355-6879
denys at hicomp.com                             www.hicomp.com


-----Original Message-----
From:   Gavin Scott [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Thursday, May 18, 2000 1:39 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: Networking Makes My Head Swim

Peter writes:
> I am waiting for DSL to connect my home soon,
>
> one Interesting stuff I saw in one of PC catalog is.
>
> Linksys EtherFast/DSL router for $189.

They're cool.  If you've got a Cable/DSL connection which provides a
10-base-T connection to the modem, then buy one!  You can get them for
$150-$169 most places (www.pcconneciton.com is where I got mine)

> feature say
> . Equipped 4 port 10/100 switch

The Linksys has a 10-base-T "WAN" port that plugs into your DSL/Cable modem.
Beware that some DSL providers are (especially on their 'cheap' plans)
trying to stick you with either an internal DSL modem for your PC, or one
that uses USB (ick.) to connect.  Neither of these could be used with the
Linksys or any other external firewall.  You *might* be able to build a
Linux/FreeBSD firewall using an internal/USB connection.

The "4 port switch" provides four 10/100 ports for your PCs (and 3000s :-).
You'll need a 10-base-T transceiver for most 3000s to convert them from coax
to twisted pair cabling, or you could use a cheap 10-base-t hub with a coax
connector to link and existing thinlan (if you've already got a DTC for
example) network up to the Linksys.

> . Connects all of your PCs to the internet with only one IP address

And one address only.  Even if your provider gives you multiple "static"
addresses, you'll only be able to use one of them through the Linksys.  This
is not as big a deal as you might think.  You could always put a hub between
the modem and the Linksys, and put systems on that hub (outside the Linksys
firewall) that could make use of the other addresses if you need to run more
than one web server for example.

> . Creates a firewall to protect your PCs

Seems quite secure (i.e. it lets virtually nothing through :-)  If you use a
lot of obscure streaming media formats or play a lot of networked games over
the internet, then you might want to make sure they will work with the
firewall.  You can always disable the firewall (at your own risk) for one PC
on your network if you need to.

> . Configurable through any networked PCs Web browser

Nice clean simple interface.  Pretty much plug-and-play.  Will either act as
a DHCP server or you can use static networks.  The Linksys is doing NAT for
you, so you'll typically use the 192.168.0.x address range for your "inside"
systems.

> I am not a network guru to understand all of these means
> but, some kind of clue to lead to connecting  DSL to HP927LX LAN?
> perhaps It route DSL to Ethernet?

Yes, as noted above.

G.