I currently connect to the Internet via a cable modem using DHCP. My
wife's computer uses a modem and connects via Earthlink. Because of
excessive telephone line noise, she wants me to hook her computer up
to the cable modem so that she will have a better connection.

I know that I could simply get a Linksys route/hub but it seems to me
that it would be cheaper (and more fun!) to get a couple of extra
network cards and have my NetBSD box supply her access using NAT.

I know that none of this is original and I have a basic understanding
of what NAT does. What I am not sure of is how this will all play out
with DHCP in the mix, since I do not have a static IP address. Is
there anything special to do in this kind of situation?

Also, how long can a crossover ethernet cable be?


Thanks,

Jeff Flowers
jeffrey@jeffreyf.net

"Contrary to popular belief, the Internet is not 
a Microsoft product that debuted in 1995, nor is
it the creation of a U.S. vice president."

From the Unix System Administration Handbook,
3rd Edition; Prentice Hall PTR.