ADSL, routers firewalls etc.

[Tom <tom@halahan.com>]

(Apologies if this is already sent)

Hi,

I manage a small office network that we can now afford to upgrade to an ADSL
internet connection.  In researching ADSL support for Debian linux I am a
little confused on a few issues, mainly as I only have experience with Cable
Modem broadband, not DSL.

I have already purchased a Hub for the network which consists of a Debian
MySql and Apache server, another Debian firewall box and some Win boxes.

My confusion lies in both terminology and setup.  I imagined before starting
that I would need to set up a firewall machine with 2 network devices.  The
firewall would then manage security and masquerading, where the external eth
device will be allocated the static IP  (Non-NAT) I have been given by my
ISP.

However research of the most common Ethernet DSL modems (cheapest about $100
 / £ 66) suggests that

1) the modem has NAT, firewall etc all built in.
2) many manufacturers combine a network hub and modem.
3) the modem itself must be assigned an IP not the machine it is fixed to????

I'm assuming therefore that the firewall machine is not required.  I had
previously thought that a gateway machine such as a firewall was necessary
for me to be able to SSH to do remote admin.

Also I have already purchased a hub and the firewall machine (old box
 knocking around) therefore I was hoping to just get a modem.  I do not have
 USB.

Any comments welcome, and thanks in advance for reading this far!

Tom



Details
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Was thinking of buying Conexant AMX-CA61E (1 Port)
Isp->
Protocol: PPP/VC (sometimes called: PPPoA or PPP over ATM) VPI=0 VCI=38
Encapsulation method: VCMUX
Modulation method:  G.DMT

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