NIC driver install

[Patrick Fleming EA]

On Sat, 21 Dec 2002, cliff rogers wrote:

> OK Patrick now I am really in deep. I guess I need to take a step back and
> reconsider all this. Now don't get me wrong, I am not afraid to roll up my
> sleeves and configure or install drivers and such but I must admit this is
> getting very frustrating. I decided to set this box up with ClarkConnect
> because it was supposed to be fairly easy and yet I have spent a lot of time
> on this and haven't been able to really use my LAN with any success. The
> short time I did have it running I couldn't access either computer from the
> other one (I have a laptop and a desktop running W2K with my 3rd box running
> Clark as the gateway). I also had problems with e-mails being sent out
> randomly from my account. So what do I do now?


Ok... as I read and re-read this email I come to a couple of conclusions. 
Correct me where I'm wrong. You have a total of three boxes. One of those 
boxes connects to the net and you want to share the connection. For 
starters, the box in between might be considered overkill and was exactly 
what I tried to do when I started using Linux. I did succeed after some 
time and many postings to mailing lists. 

If you do not currently own a hub/switch/router connecting your computers 
you need to use crossover cables. Nothing will talk to anything else 
without proper cabling.

     Crossover cable      modem/etc.
Box1<--------------->Box2<--------->Internet


If however you are wanting to put a firewall box between you and the net 
you could have:

Box1<--\
	\
	 ----->Firewall<-->Internet	
	/        Box
Box2<--/

Assuming no hubs/switches/routers the cable from Box1 and from Box2 into 
the firewall must be crossovers. If instead of a cable directly from Box1 
and Box2 into the ClarkConnect box you have a hub/switch/router in 
between, standard cables are required. 

...the random emails might need further investigation.


> 
> 1. Would the fact that I don't have my linux box hooked to the modem or the
> LAN make a difference on it recognizing and setting up drivers for them?
> This is probably a very obvious answer so I apologize for it.

You should be able to build drivers regardless of whether the hardware 
exists or not in *most* cases.

> 
> 2. Since I don't seem to have a fully compatible hardware and ClarkConnect
> distro here and since I cannot return my NIC's would I be better off to
> install a complete Linux distro (Redhat 7.3 or maybe 8.1) and then try to
> configure my system into a firewall using how-tos like George Toft and
> others have provided?

That all depends on how stubborn you are. If it was me, I would keep 
banging my head against the wall, ask some questions, then ask some more. 
As you state, you have invested a fair amount of time in this. Are you 
ready to give up the investment to start over? Besides, when you get done 
with this, you'll be the ClarkConnect expert.


> 
> 3. Would I be better off to go get a router from d-link or linksys and use
> it instead of Linux? Lack of money was one of the main considerations for me
> to decide to use Linux for my gateway so I don't know if this will be
> feasible for a while.

Since you state money is a current issue- I would stick with the plan in 
place. I have a firewall between my LAN and the DSL modem even though the 
modem allows filtering rules. It's a comfort thing. You could use whatever 
internet connection sharing W2k has natively, and build this machine 
without stressing about your connection- I know I work *much* better when 
not trying to get my LAN back on the net...

> 
> 
> I am sure I should have more questions than this but its all I could think
> of right now. Thanks for any responses.   Cliff

If I have made the wrong assumptions, feel free to correct them.

> 
> 
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-- 
Patrick Fleming, EA
http://myhdvest.com/patrickfleming
Licensed to represent taxpayers
before Exam, Appeals, and Conference 
divisions of the IRS