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This only works to Netspeed, Webone won't wear it.

Differences are they have the settop box,
 I have the Marconi FLX modem.
Also they are using the transact supplied software,
 I'm using roaring penguin and smpppd.

Originally I thought a linux connection server would be overkill
 but it would also provide firewalling (and printer sharing).
BUT it would have to really be stable, setup and forget. For years.
They don't want the hassle, I don't want the work.

So, in the fast-moving world of Linux,
 (150Meg of patches since Suse7.3 came out)
 can a box firewall itself well enough to survive unpatched.

Using ipchains it's easy to setup a firewall
 that allows only outgoing connections.

Suse with reiserfs seems pretty immune to power-cycling,
 (which is how they would fix any hangups).
And the new Suse firewall has options to protect itself from attacks
 even from the interior network.

Smoothwall and gibraltar are also attractive,
 just a CD, no writeable media.
Power-cycling puts them into a known state.
User upgradeable, just insert the new CD.

Is linux ready to power the maintenance-free black-box internet appliance?
-- 
A right not exercised is a privilege
a privilege not exercised is illegal.

Michael James			michael at james.st
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