Howdy, I'm interested in running linux, but not to interested in burning all the latest isos to try finding the right one. I have two computers and one being a laptop I've had not much problems getting it networked to share internet with a program called CCproxy. I can't dump my Windows on main computer because my cable company only supports windows for hardware installation but I'm allowed to (**with their permission**) to share a connection with another computer. I'd like to change to a linux secondary computer. I'm interested in one that is easy to get XP to see and network with a cat5 crossover cable (NIC to NIC), no router, no hub!!! (router/hub not allowed by the way on my ISP)and I'm interested in it being a secure version and interact friendly with my Windows computer! Any ideas on what is quick, easy, reliable, and secure would be greatly interested in knowing about. Not that important but I'd love to run linux! Thankyou

Pretty much all modern Linux distributions can do what you're asking. Any of them will be able to "share a connection" with your Windows computer with little or no configuration necessary. Alternatively, just spend 40 bucks on a router. Simpler to setup and maintain than any proxy software on your Windows box, and it frees all your computers from being dependent on the one Windows box for their Internet connection. To get started on the Linux side of things, I would recommend a "live CD" distribution, such as knoppix. It will allow you to run a full, graphical Linux environment without installing or configuring anything. Once you're comfortable with that, I'd recommend SuSE Linux

Problem with router is my ISP will not allow it. It requires an additional IP address which I DO NOT want to pay for. Ethernet = free, and my isp gave me their email blessing with it without reprecussions, so I want to do a direct connect. I've used Knoppix, Mandrake, and Redhat before. I just want to know if any ISOs are especially geared towards a network via ethernet. It is specifically necessary to be ethernet though.

The router doesn't require an additional IP address. You connect the modem to the router's WAN port instead of to your computer and the your computers are then connected to the router's LAN ports. The router will use NAT (Network Address Translation) to hide the LAN segment. Depending on the brand, most routers assign the LAN segment IPs in the 192.168.0.x or 192.168.1.x range. Without the router, you'll need to setup ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on the Windows host computer. ICS is Microsoft's version of a software implemented router. ICS also assigns IP addresses in 1 or the other of those ranges So, in either case, you're using a router (1 hardware based and the other is software based). These days, with the advent of the bouadband routers, ISP's can't and most don't even try to dictate that you can't use a hardware router but you can use the "software [ICS] router".

"I just want to know if any ISOs are especially geared towards a network via ethernet" All Linux distributions are "specifically geared" towards ethernet networking. Let me ask you this: if Knoppix, Mandrake, and Redhat don't do what you are looking for, what is it exactly that you want to do?

There is no difference if you use a hub/switch or a crossover cable....the machines will have to be set up the same. FishMonger's NAT'd router solution is probably the best way to go.