Several years ago, establishing home networks became popular, to allow the entire family to simultaneously surf the Web. Because of Linux’s comprehensive TCP/IP networking facilities, Linux systems became popular as gateway routers to dialup, ISDN, cable, and DSL feeds.

As writer of the Newbies column for Linux Magazine,^[7] I have often been invited to write a column on using Linux to establish such a configuration. While I’ve maintained such a home network for several years, I haven’t been able to figure out how to write a short, 2000-word column—or, for that matter, a book chapter—that adequately addresses all the ins and outs of configuring a Linux system to use a cable modem or DSL connection.

Here’s how the situation sizes up. First, the bad news. It seems that every cable and DSL provider has decided to set up client systems a different way. And almost none of the providers are Linux-friendly. But there’s also good news. Despite the foregoing, you have a good chance of being able to use your Linux system to access the Internet via a cable or DSL modem. However, all that can be provided here are some general principles and pointers to further information. There are simply too many twists and too many rapidly changing turns to be able to do justice to particulars in a medium such as a book.

Some useful resources when setting up Linux to access a cable or DSL modem include:

Another solution, one that I personally recommend, is the use of a cable/DSL gateway router. Netgear and Linksys, among others, manufacture popular models. These inexpensive devices—often less than $100 retail—sit between your cable or DSL modem and your home network. Cable/DSL gateway routers generally provide a masquerading firewall and DNS proxy services. Better models have multiple ports so that you can connect several PCs without buying additional hubs or switches. Some recent models even provide a wireless LAN, though the ability to interface a Linux PC to the LAN is uncertain, owing to the possible lack of Linux drivers.

Because such devices are designed to work with as many cable and DSL configurations as possible, they work right out of the box most of the time. It’s true that they provide no function that couldn’t be provided—at least in principle—by a Linux PC. But they consume less power, occupy less space, make less noise, and require less configuration and administration than a Linux PC. I retired a quite venerable Pentium 166 Linux PC from cable modem gateway duty some months ago and have never regretted the decision.