Re: 2 Hardware Questions (LCD/Wireless Router)
On Saturday 05 April 2003 14:53, Matt Price wrote:
> Hi,
>
>
> In the process of setting up a home network which will have the
> following machines on it:
> - 1 IBM ThinkPad X31 connected alternately by ethernet and wireless
> (802.11b). Will unfortunately be running XP, unless I replace that
> by Win 2000 Professional (not for my use, or it'd be Debian all the way)
> - 1 G3 Mac, currently running MacOS 9, hopefully soon to move to
> Debian PPC, connected by ethernet cable
> - 1 Old HP Omnibook. hopefully running a slimmed-down version of
> Debian, connectd hopefully by 802.11 b as well
> - (Maybe) a relatively new PC running Debian Woody, connected by
> Ethernet
>
> I need to buy a wireless router and a monitor, and have questions
> about both.
>
> First the router. Looking around, I gather all these routers run
> their own networking and encryption software. Having recently
> converted to Debian GNU/Linux, I'm bummed at having to give up control
> of these features to some hardware I have no real access to, and I
> feel just a little suspicious of these closed-platform boxes. On the
> other hand, they do seem to be pretty practical devices. So my
> question: can anyone share opinions about particular models, or
> general criteria to apply in deciding between competing models?
>
> Then the monitor. We've settled on buying an LCD monitor, and I wanted
> to check about compatibility before I bought one. I've noticed some
> companies talk about "mac compatible" or "linux compatible" products.
> Any idea what this means? My impression with ordinary CRT monitors
> is, that as long as the cable on the monitor (DVI; VGA, ADC,
> whatever) matches the port on your video card, you're OK. Is this not
> true of LCD's? Do some of the LCD's require proprietary color
> adjustment software, for instance; and if so, are there ways to
> compensate under Linux?
>
>
> Thanks as always for the help! Look forward to hearing back,
> Matt
- Route -
I have used a Linksys, a Netgear RT314 and currently use an FR114P. The
Linksys lasted under a year before the power supply toasted. I needed a
replacement that day and saw that Compusa had the Netgear RT314 on sale for
$50 off.
I recently retired the RT314 and replaced it with the FR114P since the latter
has finer control over what "rules" you can apply. I have been *very* happy
with Netgear.
I will buy another FR114P soon and run the two of them in series. This will
allow me to form a physical DMZ for my web server by putting in the server in
middle of the two routers. If you want a "real" DMZ in a single box requires
a much more expensive device than most of us are willing to pay. I give
Netgear credit for pointing out that what most inexpensive router's claim as
a "DMZ" is nothing more than the exposure of all IP ports from the WAN side
to a particular IP on the LAN side. But the exposed computer can still see
everything else on the LAN side so if it does get compromised what has been
gained?
You don't have to lose any "control" by using a hardware router since you can
always expose specific IP ports on the WAN side to specific IP/ports on the
LAN side. If you do that you will certainly want ot make sure that the Linux
box you are exposing has everything in proper order. For example, for last
month alone there were a little over 20,000 break in attempts.
- LCD -
I bought an AOpen F50L (15 inch) as it was the first model that I found
locally for $300. About the only consession that I had to make was to
manually put in the Vertical and Horizontal frequencies. And even that may
have been more of an artifact of have a Linksys KVM between my Debian box and
the LCD screen.
/Pen
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