<< Does Anypoint support a shared @Home cable line, as they only give you 1 FIXED IP address, and if you
want more, you have to pay.
Will it "share" my single fixed IP of my main, cable modem equipped computer
I have 4 PC's to connect, so how many do I need ? >>
Hi Jean,
This is a little off the topic, but since the subject came up, I thought I would give a quick rundown on how I solved the multiple PC problem.
I have a DSL 768k/128k service and a single IP address, but a PC for each family member. The DSL modem gives me an Ethernet connection, just like your cable modem, so the problem and solutions should be the same between the two technologies.
The fundamental solution is to use NAT (Network Address Translation). You assign each PC on your "internal" network with a private IP address - these are addresses that will not route over the Internet. The NAT device then translates an IP internet session from your PCs private address to the registered address provided by your ISP. This is done by using TCP ports. Multiple ports is how your browser distinguishes between multiple sessions on your browser today, so the concept is no big deal.
The internet only sees one IP address, the one assigned to you by your ISP. The byproduct of this topology is security. If set up correctly, users on the outside cannot address any of your internal PCs, since the address assigned to that PC is private and non-routable. This solves the classic security problem you have with an always on connection.
With that background, here are some basic WIN95/98 options:
Proxy Server: Here, you take one of the PCs and install two Ethernet NICs. This PC sits between your modem and the Ethernet hub that you use to connect to your remaining PCs. You then run software such as Wingate, which handles the NAT translation, among other things. There are other software packages out there as well, and you can certainly use a different OS such as Linux if you really want to. They all do basically the same thing.
This is the most economical alternative. The advantage of this setup is it is very flexible. The Wingate product has lots of bells and whistles. I elected not to go this route since it looks like a hassle. Anytime you reboot, or whatever, your off the net. I wanted a product that I could set up and forget about. However, you do not even need a spare PC, in that the process runs in the background. You can use one of your regular PCs for the job. Of course, anytime your PC locks up (never happens with windows!) or whatever you will hear it from your other PC users, since they will be offline during that time as well.
Router: There are several manufacturers out there that provide what appears to be quality low end routers in the $300 - $600 range. They vary in the level of expertise required to set up, but once set up you can basically forget about it.
I just about went that route, until I discovered a problem. I have users in the house that love AOL instant messenger and ICQ. These services will not work through a traditional firewall or router. The reason is, they are a security problem. ICQ, for example, starts a session with an outgoing UDP port #2000, then opens all TCP incoming ports and listens for any incoming messages. A traditional router or firewall will not permit that. I hate the technology and wished AOL would not design apps like this, but to keep peace in the house I had to find a solution that would accommodate these applications. Also, you have to assume that other forthcoming applications, like video and voice conferencing, will invariably have the same problem.
Wingate will allow you to set up sessions that allow the open TCP connections, and it appears you can use a proxy server to do this. I checked on the ICQ bulletin boards, however, and although folks were making it work, it sounded like a very unstable solution and a real hassle (again my concern with proxy servers).
I then ran across a product developed by Umax, called Ugate+. These people are know for their scanners, but they built this specifically as a DSL modem sharing device. I paid $350.00 for it, but the price will probably come down since it is so new. It is a cross between a proxy server and a router, and is easy to set up via your browser. It has two ethernet ports - one attaches to the DSL modem, the other attaches to your hub. You then attach all your PCs to your hub.
The Ugate can be set up for DHCP (dynamic addresses) or static addresses, depending on your preference and the arrangement you have with your ISP. You can totally close up the connection so no outside sessions can be established to your PCs (which is the default), or you can allow special sessions, such as needed for ICQ, to be allowed under specific rules you can set up. You can also allow FTP or HTTP sessions to come in from the outside if you want to set up a FTP or WEB server in your home - hey why not? The manual is excellent, and the web set up screens are real intuitive.
At any rate, the product was plug and play for me and I am real happy with it. I haven't had any problems with it, and we all surf the web at our leisure without any noticeable impact from each other.
Regards, |
