[lug] newbie seeks www

[D. Stimits]

Jason Davis wrote:
> 
> i just installed red hat linux 2.2.5-15. i am new to linux and still fairley
> new to computers.
> So my question is how do i get on line(www)? Do i need to get a linux
> friendly i.s.p.(could someone suggest one?)? How should i configure my
> modem? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Would trade licenced
> electrical work in boulder for linux help!!
> 
>                     Shootin in the dark,
>                    Jason Davis
>             jd_480 at hotmail.com

I'd suggest for the modem you start with the sample config scripts in
"man wvdial", and see if you can get your modem to respond. You'll want
an editor you can use easily, maybe pico (which is part of pine, so
install pine if you need the editor). What your modem does and how well
it works will depend in part on whether it is ISA or PCI slot. If it is
ISA, it depends further on whether it is plug-n-play ("plug-n-pray") or
jumpered. If it is PCI, it may need hardware setup, but if it is a
winmodem version (which are lobotomized), you may want to just get a new
modem that isn't winmodem. The wvdial file is /etc/wvdial.conf (listed
in the man page). If you have a section in the file called "[Dialer
isp1]" you'd test it as root via:
wvdial isp1

You will probably want to be sure you have a kernel that supports
ipchains (firewalling), that it is enabled, and that several ports are
completely blocked from the modem (target interface ppp0). Anyone else,
feel free to name dangerous ports, but here are a few port numbers to
block, preferably both UDP and TCP (these are just very basic, there is
more to it):
20, 21, input only (ftp).
23, input only (telnet).
53, other than your known name servers.
80, input only (web server)
98 (linuxconf)
111
137-139
369
514
515 (printer, lpd)

Both tcp and udp might not be relevant on a given port, but the ones
named you can safely block both regardless. Those above are just a
sample of ports that are either tested regularly by port scanning
crackers, or too important to be left open. There is a lot more that
should be blocked

You'll want to update early on after getting the modem via (for RH 6.2):
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/rh62-errata-security.html

Or more generally:
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com