"Gary Heston" <gheston@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:vlqk7pj80kf65f@corp.supernews.com...

In article <6C37b.10$ev2.7698@newssrv26.news.prodigy.com>,
Stratcat� <nobody@no.org> wrote:
  [ ... ]

Even though the only exposed IP is the router, using DHCP, if
available from your telco provider, provides additional protection from

the

hacker crowd, since you can cycle on and off, from time to time, and
change your only exposed IP.   [ ... ]

You might want to verify that; DHCP is generally set up to lease an
address for a fairly long period of time, usually a week or more. The
addresses are tied to the MAC address (six byte hexadecimal hardware
address of your device), which your device uses when contacting the
DHCP server. A quick power cycle or reset should generally get you
the same IP address you've been using.

The purpose of DHCP is to automate configuration, not make frequent
address changes. It can be configured to do that, but since it tries
to renew a lease when it's half way to expiring, it will generate a
lot of traffic.

Thanks Gary,

 But I checked the DHCP feature out when I first got the service
2 years ago, using 'ipconfig'. I just tried again using the router, and got
6 different IP's, in maybe 2 minutes, w/no duplicates. Oddly enough, while I
expected the subnet octets to change, the 1st octet changed occasionally
between 2 numbers, as well. SBC must have an awesome amount of
customers, or more correctly, available IP addresses.

You are correct in DHCP's primary goal of automatic assignment, and
efficiency of address conservation, use, re-use, and allocation. Especially
within a LAN environment. I noticed, before I installed my router, and set
it up to autoconnect on disconnect, my leases were running out in about 4 -5
days as you stated.

One thing that got lost in my OP (bad cut & paste job on my 'ShieldsUp'
data) was the fact that the router does the PPPo/e translation within its
hardware/firmware, noticeably speeding up browsing. Before I had XP, I had
to run a utility called "Enternet300" on Win98SE. When I went to WINXPRO
it had the DSL connect utility built-in, but still did the PPPo/e
translation w/i the software. Even though the raw DSL upload/download
speeds are the same whether I use the router or not, the browsing is much
quicker w/the router. I attribute this to faster DNS resolution due to the
router doing a faster hardware PPPo/e translation than the software
utilities.

Either way, I'm sold on DSL runnin' straight into a router set-up for
'stealth mode', and that's the set-up I set-up for my other family members,
even though they only have a single P.C. hanging off it.
--
Strat�














---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.516 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 9/1/2003