*BSD News Article 63379


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From: bdodson@beowulf.utmb.edu (M. L. Dodson)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Some networking and Linux emulation questions
Date: 11 Mar 1996 19:35:47 GMT
Organization: The Sealy Center for Molecular Science
Lines: 46
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <4i1vak$dg7@atlantis.utmb.edu>
Reply-To: bdodson@beowulf.utmb.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: beowulf.utmb.edu

Hi,

Some questions about IP networking (and, below, about Linux emulation):

I picked up a surplus 386SX-16 a few days ago for $20.  I have in 
mind to set it up as a router between a home network and an ISP over
a 28.8 modem.  My question is on feasibility of the following 
configuration:

1. A fast (16550A) serial port card to interface the modem, at, say,
38.8 kbps using ijppp.

2. I don't want to spend much on ethernet cards given what I paid
for the box, so would a NE2000 clone be efficient enough not to
load the machine down?  (I've seen these for $20 each after mailin 
rebate.)

3. I understand that if I use proxy servers for the IP services
the IP addresses on my local net would not be externally
visible; everything would appear to come from the (dynamically
assigned) IP address of the ppp connection on the router.  Is 
this right?  So I can hide a whole network behind the router?

4. Is the 386SX-16 fast enough to run the NE2000, the serial card,
ijppp, and proxy servers for the IP services (particulary a httpd 
server) on 2.1R in 4 MB?  I'll likely use it as a pop server for 
a Win95 box as well, but that shouldn't load it much as it is
unlikely my family will be surfing the net and reading mail at
the same time.

5. I understand that I will need 6 MB to install the system, but
4 MB will be enough to run 2.1R once installed.  Is this correct?

A question on Linux emulation:  Is there much of a performance hit
compared to the native system calls?  Is it just the system calls
that are slowed down, i.e., is the c library, etc. also slower
on emulation?

TIA,
Bud Dodson

-- 
M. L. Dodson                                bdodson@beowulf.utmb.edu
409-772-2178                                FAX: 409-772-1790