lsg42.htm

linux-unix130.linux.and.unix.ebooks130 linux and unix ebookslinuxLearning Linux - Collection of 12 E

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<H2>Linux System Administrator's Survival Guide lsg42.htm</H2>



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<A HREF="#E68E221" >Choosing a Connection Method</A>



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<A HREF="#E68E222" >Deciding What Services You Need</A>



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<A HREF="#E68E223" >Directly Connecting through a Gateway</A>



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<A HREF="#E68E224" >Connecting through Another Gateway</A>



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<A HREF="#E68E225" >Using a Service Provider</A>



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<A HREF="#E68E226" >Summary</A></UL></UL></UL>



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<FONT SIZE=6 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Chapter 42</B></FONT></CENTER></H1>



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<FONT SIZE=6 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Setting Up an Internet Site</B></FONT></CENTER></H2>



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<P>Linux is well suited for connecting to the Internet and using many of the Internet services. Earlier chapters looked at e-mail and USENET news; this chapter focuses on setting up your Linux machine as a server for FTP, Gopher, WAIS, and the World Wide Web. This chapter looks at the ways you can connect to the Internet. The following chapters then show you how to set up your Linux system as a server for four popular services.



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<P>If you only want to use your Linux system to access other servers, you don't have to worry about any of the material in the next four chapters (although you might want to read this chapter to find out how to connect to the Internet). On the other hand, sharing your system's resources with others, whether in a local area network, a small circle of friends, or the worldwide Internet community can be most of the fun.



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<P>If your Linux system is to offer services such as FTP, WWW, or Gopher to your local area network or to friends connecting by modem, but you don't want to provide Internet-wide access, you don't need to worry about connecting to the Internet. You still have to set up the server software, though.



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<FONT SIZE=5 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Choosing a Connection Method</B></FONT></CENTER></H3>



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<P>There are many different ways to connect to the Internet. Your choice of method depends primarily on your usage habits and the services you want access to. Although it may seem as though there is an overwhelming number of companies offering Internet access or services, there are really only four ways to connect to the Internet:



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<LI><B>A direct connection to the Internet</B>  This method uses a dedicated machine (a gateway) to connect into the Internet backbone. This method gives you full access to all services, but it is expensive to set up and maintain.



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<LI><B>Connecting through someone else's gateway</B>&#151;This method usually involves getting permission to use someone else's machine for full access to all Internet services.



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<LI><B>Using a direct service provider</B>  This method uses a specialty company's gateway that your machine can access to provide limited or full access to Internet services. All these companies do is act as a gateway to the Internet; they are not the same as on-line services. Usually, this type of service provider uses modem or dedicated telephone connections with high-speed lines to provide fast service.



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<LI><B>Using an indirect service provider</B>  This method involves using an on-line company (such as Delphi or CompuServe) to access some or all of the Internet's services. This method is usually suitable only for low-volume usage and doesn't take advantage of Linux at all.



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<P>It is rare to find a gateway that you can borrow for access of your own, unless you are willing to share the costs of the gateway. Most companies that have a gateway are reluctant to allow outsiders to use their system.



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<P>If you are part of a company or sharing the costs with a number of friends, on-line service providers seldom are able to offer the level of performance you need for support of e-mail, FTP, and other Internet services. In addition, most on-line services do not allow you to have your own domain name.



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<P>That leaves only a direct gateway to the Internet of your own or the use of a service provider. The choice between these two options usually comes down to an issue of the costs to connect both ways. Setting up your own gateway is expensive, but it may be cheaper than arranging accounts with a service provider if the volume of traffic is high. If you just want access for yourself or for a very small company, having your own dedicated gateway is probably too expensive. Setting up an account with a service provider is possible for individuals, but sometimes the costs and machine overhead are too high. Service providers are typically used by small companies, but you may want to use a service provider if you anticipate a high Internet usage.



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<FONT SIZE=5 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Deciding What Services You Need</B></FONT></CENTER></H3>



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<P>When deciding which method to use to access the Internet, one of the important items to consider is the type of services you want from the Internet. If all you need is e-mail, any kind of access will provide it, but some may be ridiculously expensive for what you get. As a starting point, decide which of the following services are necessary and which are less important:



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e-mail



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Sending mail to and from other Internet users</FONT>



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Telnet



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