Building a router for a home-LAN, need advice

[Guest]

ok, so here's the deal, i'm currently running a small LAN at home, currently comprised of 5 systems... my ISP (@home) will only allow 5 IP's off the cable-modem (i've already been busted twice for running too many IP's, and i'm pretty sure they're keeping an eye on me now), but i want to expand my network more, no bandwidth hogs or anything, but i want to install an old 133 in my TV room for web-browsing, chat etc., one in the kitchen for use while cooking... more terminals than actual systems, but they all still need IP's (duh) ... thus my problem, i need a router to place downstream of my switch to run all these terminals off of... next problem: i don't want to fork out any cash at all if i can avoid it, i've got a couple old P133's and a 486 plus a pile of old ISA NIC's lying around that i'd like to build a router out of, my problem though, is that i'm relatively inexperienced with networking, and once i get the system built, i have *NO* idea where to start... any suggestions for OS ? software ? i've considered a linux distro, but i'm a relative linux n00b, and i don't know how effectively i'd be able to administrate with it, on the other hand, we all know how reliable windows is... any suggestions ? tips ?

 

[FatBurger]

As for an OS, Windows 2000 would work great. Put that on one of the 133's with a couple of NICs, and you should be ok. Except that you very well may have problems with W2k and ISA. Don't say I didn't warn you.

As far as making sure AT&T doesn't know you have that many computers, I can't help you. Sorry.

What I would suggest, however, is getting some sort of card that allows you to connect multiple monitors and keyboard/mice to one computer. Easy, cheap (compared to a whole computer), and carefree. Then you can run your kitchen, living room, and bathroom computers off of one main "server" and be fine. I say "server" not because it's an internet or networking server, but because you have multiple monitor/keyboard/mouse combinations running off of it.

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Apple? Macintosh? What are these strange words you speak?

 

[hammerhead]

What O/S's are you running now?

With Win '98SE or Win Me, you can use ICS to share internet access.

Choose one to act as host, set up the internet connection on it via your switch.

Network the others to it with your ISA nics (you're gonna need a hub, unless you use horrid old 10base2 coax).

Using ICS, your ISP will only see the IP of the host.

There must be similar software for other O/S's

Am I on the right lines here? Don't have any experience with switches but I am running a small LAN at home too.

 

[Guest]

try:

http://www.linuxrouter.org/