Re: ADSL w/ Linux

Paul Charles Leddy wrote:
> Is it possible to setup a linux box to replace my Qwest DSL modem?
> What is the hardware/software scenario? Thanks!

I haven't done it with a linux box, but I have done it with a 
linux-based hardware firewall.

If you have the Qwest-branded actiontec DSL modem, you can configure it 
to operate in bridging mode.  What this does is configure the actiontec 
to simply forward traffic from its ethernet interface over the phone 
line. Be aware that once you tell the actiontec to operate in bridging 
mode, it ceases to do anything else and no longer has an IP address.  
You will not be able to access the admin web interface or use any of the 
Qwest setup tools unless you reset the actiontec to factory defaults.  I 
don't remember exactly where you tell the router to run in Bridging 
Mode, but i think it is pretty early in the advanced setup sequence.

To make use of this, you will need a linux box with an ethernet NIC 
(wired either directly or via a switch to the actiontec ethernet port) 
running a PPPoE dialer.  You configure the PPPoE dialer to login with 
your qwest.net username/password, and tell it which NIC to use.  I'm not 
sure if you can use the same NIC to serve a NATted LAN -- Linux's 
virtual ethernet support baffles me.  Your linux box may need two NICs 
if you want to share the connection.

Installing and configuring PPPoE dialup is an exercise left to the reader.

~jk


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