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Re: Changing cable modum to ADSL modum.



* John C <zcar@satx.rr.com> [061216 13:13]:
> Hi all,
> 
> I'm looking for a simple way for a windows-only user to change a 
> computer's network settings from a cable modem to an ADSL modem.
> 
> I was under the impression that my granddaughter, who lives 
> hundreds of miles from me, had a cable ISP. In an attempt to 
> educate the next generation, I've sent her a computer fully 
> loaded and configured with Etch.  I used a netinstall through my 
> home system's router (cable modem) with a manual IP 
> address....not DHCP.
> 
> Oooops... I was wrong, their network connnection is through a 
> ADSL modem.
> 
> I suspect that she could make the change using the Network 
> administration tool of the Gnome network Settings, but since I'm 
> not familiar with ADSL or with that tool, I'd rather not have her 
> try without some confirmation.
> 
> If not that tool, perhaps dpkg-reconfigure <something> ?
> 
> I know that on my box, the following files at least need to 
> change. Any others?
> 
> /etc/resolv.conf
> /etc/networks
> /etc/networks/interfaces
> 
> I also suspect that I'll have to have her do a dpkg install of 
> pppoe for the network administration tool to work.  Is that true?
> 
> Thanks for any help.

This is just one more reason to off-load Internet
interface/firewall/router functions to an old machine (200 MHz
Pentium, 64 Mbyte RAM, 1 Gbyte drive, CD-ROM, 2 ethernet cards)
running a user-friendly, ready-to-go package such as SmoothWall
Express 2.0 (www.smoothwall.org).

If you had taken that approach, your granddaughter would have a LAN
which simultaneously would accommodate Etch, Window$, and Macintosh,
and which she (likely without assistance) easily could switch between
cable, ADSL, and dial-up.

Life is too short to take the do-it-yourself approach when there are
excellent, fully-configured packages such as SmoothWall which are
tailored to the task.

RLH



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