Re: Ameritech DSL

[Adam Williams <awilliam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>This January I will be moving to a part of Kalamazoo that 
>actually has DSL! Unfortunately, the provider is Amertech.
>Is there anybody out there using Ameritech's DSL service?  
>If so, are you using it with Linux?  Can you describe your
>experience for us?

I do not use Ameritech, but I researched it.  It is basically the same as 
all the "other" DSL services.  They provide (in my area at least) an 
external ATM-DSL/Ethernet DSL "modem".  The ethernet card to which the 
DSL is connected must get it's IP via DHCP.  It is no different than a 
standard ethernet connection as far as the box is concerned.  A 
out-of-the-box RH will happily link up, you just need to add whatever 
access controls you want (a lot, hopefully).  I opt to use the floppyfw 
project for my firewall which is a single floppy disk distro of Linux 
that boots and then runs entirely in RAM.  No harddrive to fail or get 
hacked.  The floppy is even in MS-DOS format so you can tweak the config 
file with something like notepad (or whatever M$ calls their crappy text 
editor these days), and then just reboot the firewall.  The config file 
is loaded with decent defaults and lots of commented out example rules.  
It runs no services so it's about as secure as you can get.  A P90 
Packard $mell handles my 604K DSL line with no problem, and has been up 
almost 200 days (I had to reboot to change a rule).

>My plan originally was to use my current firewall machine
>(connection: dialup) as the new firewall.  I heard stuff about
>connect strings and what not so now I'm not certain I can do
>that...

?  They're are no connect strings, etc.. with DSL.  At least not when I 
checked.  I'd look at their customer support pages, and if they talk 
about enable DHCP in Control Panel you should be in the clear.