I am looking at purchasing DSL from an ISP. I am interested in a plan that includes (4) static IP addresses. I contacted them about the possibility of configuring one of my (4) static IP's for my DSL modem, they contacted me and told me the following: Our DSL service uses a "bridged" model, which means that your DSL modem is typically a transparent device. That is, the modem itself doesnt have an IP address. The default gateway on your network would actually be on our side of the DSL connection. Now, upon request, we can set up the IP addresses to used a "routed" configuration, which means that your DSL router (if it is actually a router and not just a bridged modem) can be set to be your default gateway. In that instance, we can do what you want, but you will lose two of the IP addresses in the process (the first as the network identifier and the last as the broadcast address). However, our default bridged configuration, which is the easiest to configure, does support VPN without problem, and we do provide static IP addressing for up to 4 systems on your network. ___________________________________________ I will be using Coyote Linux on an old 486 PC as my DSL router/firewall. If I have a static IP setup on my DSL router, couldn't I use NAT and still be able to connect multiple PC's on that single intetnet connection? So the extra static IP's taht they are giving me to connect two more computers to the internet basically mean nothing if I use NAT correct?? I am getting very confused. I want to connect my small home LAN (4-5 PC's) to the intetnet with DSl using a Linux router/firewall that I am building and be able to setup a VPN (basically to learn more about VPN and IPSec), and I assume that having a static IP on my DSL router (the Linux router/firewall that I am building) would make the best choice for setting up a VPN. I also figured that configuring NAT on my router would enable me to connect multiple PC's to the internet with one DSL connection, so it wouldn't matter how many static IP's I had left after I used the one on my router would it? If you are usure as to what I am trying to explain, and have the time, please contact me through e-mail, I would really appreciate it, Thank you for your time.

I'm too lazy to email you so you'll have to read my posting here instead. You are getting the ideal. Basically you don't buy extra static IP address from ISP unless you are going to be offering service TO the internet. I.e. if you wanted to have your own web pages on your own web server you would want that web server to have it's own static IP address so people could reach your web page. But it sounds like all you want is to connet to the internet to access services, which means you don't need extra static IP addresses. Using NAT or ICS you can have multiple PCs connect to the internet using 1 ip address (consequently you dont even necessarily need it to be a 'static' ip address, most ISP give you a dynamic ip address, which would work just as well, and save you some bucks). To connect however using VPN you would want a static IP address on both sides (at home, and at work). Dynamic wouldn't be good in this case because if you ever lost your connection you might end up getting a new IP address which would cause your VPN to fail. VPN with NAT is tricky. You want to NAT first and then VPN. IF you VPN first, and then NAT, NAT will change your IP address in your data packet, which is a security violation to VPN, so VPN at the recieving end would say "OH H&$$ NO"! This is a security violation, I'm not accepting this packet. There are standalone devices, that you can buy that know how to administer this correctly. You can use VPN using Windows 2000 or Windows XP but you use ICS instead of NAT (still you get to connect multiple devices using 1 ip address). Long story short, don't buy more than one static IP. If you are going to VPN to home, you'll need a static IP for your home connection, and remeber it's important in how you use NAT (or ICS) and VPN together but it can work. D

Here's a thought, I'm new to this NAT thing as well. But I was thinking...if you could get a site such as www.no-ip.com to host your domain name then you don't need a static IP even for VPN. The no-ip client updates your dns name with your new IP each time. So you can essentially type in the name of your VPN server (which would contain your domain name, i.e. vpn1.chris.com) and connect to the name (not the IP) from a remote desktop connected to the internet. All you have to do I think is simply register a domain name if you don't already have one, and then give that company the name of no-ip's DNS servers where your dns domain name is registered.

actually there are lot out there works just like the no-ip. this is not plugging but u might want to try TZO. :) Ive tried using it and it works... Good Luck

Yeah, Okay, Go with a Free service if you want to!!! Buyer Be Ware!!! Let's think about this. Free service, not that they give it out of the kindness of their heart, it's paid by...Yep You Guessed it...ADVERTISEMENT. So now you become a billboard and open to a multitude of solicitation...No Thank You! Be Smart...Dont Start. Pay for the piece of mind by getting your own IP address.