Re: How do I become a tiny ISP?

On Fri, 1 Mar 2002 tomh@simas.com wrote:

> expensive option for them.  My boss would like to give them the option of
> us being their ISP, and then letting them FTP the files to us.  FTP only,
> nothing else.

You've already been given several options.  Here is what we did:

1. Get one of the free unix OSes and install it (or maybe you already have
some kind of unix somewhere).  Of course you don't have to use unix, I'm
just telling you what we did.

2. You will a number of phone lines that have automatic roll over.  This
part can be expensive.

3. Get a bunch of modems or a modem bank.  Like the phone lines, this can
be expensive depending on how many people you want to support being
connected simultaneously.

4. Connect the modems to your unix box.  The pppd software on unix can
authenticate you incoming dialers and supports all types of authentication
mechanisms.  You can attach thousands of modems and support millions of
users on one box.  Of course a small ISP won't care about thousands or
millions.

5. Use reserved IP addresses for the incoming dialers and use IP
masquerade to allow them general internet access.  You can place firewall
rules on the machine if you want to limit access to other sensitive
hosts/networks at your site.

6. After adding you users they will all have their own email services, web
services, file storage space, etc. if you want.  Every unix installation
will automatically handle email for your users as you add them.  Users can
access their email through POP3, IMAP, or web based.  For web based email
you will probably have to install some software.

I don't think I've left anything out.  Of course this is more than you
asked for (you only wanted ftp), but I hope you can see possibilities.
This was all very easy with lots of documentation.

James Rich
james@eaerich.com