I've got a problem that I think Gentoo can solve...
I'm stuck behind dial-up, but with some Windows tricks (Internet Connection Sharing), I've managed to get my 56k connection shared over a home network. However, my brother is always complaining that he can't get the PlayStation 2 online because my computer is always hogging the Internet connection. He just unscrews the antennas from my wireless AP/router (D-Link DI-614+) to disconnect me, which is a pain in the ASCII when I'm trying to download massive files (like Gentoo CD's).
I'd like to use Gentoo and a spare Pentium-based computer to make a really smart Internet gateway, that should throttle and prioritize bandwidth. Examples:
- Some traffic (like Gaim's or Firefox's) is more important than others (like Azureus's), so Azureus can use whatever bandwidth Gaim and Firefox don't use.
- The PlayStation 2, when connected, should always take top priority over any other clients' traffic.
Also, it should do these other important tasks:
- Not require any user intervention; it should just sit there and do its job. If it needs to be configured, it should be able to be used over the Internet (sorta like Remote Desktop for Linux).
- Automatically connect to the Internet on boot, and reconnect whenever disconnected.
- Defend itself (anti-virus and firewall) and take care of itself (delete temporary files, defragment, check disk for errors) in the background.
- Log and report errors (like connection problems, SMART errors or fan failures, for example).
- Windows PC's, Linux PC's and Macs (OS 9.2.2 and up) should be able to coexist peacefully (share the Internet and communicate with one and other).
- It would be nice if it could also be a print server, since it will be always on anyway.
It will plug directly into the AP/router (like another computer), so it will just be another node to my home network, like things are now. Would this work, or would my AP/router just get in the way?
-- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
