System Architecture: Intel
RedHat Release: RHL 5.1 (Manhattan)
FAQ Category: Tips and Tricks
Modification Date: Oct 21, 1998
How can I use RedHat 5.1 to start my own ISP
By will@wtvl.net How to use RedHat Linux 5.1 to start an ISP with, oh, lets say up to 500 customers. Typical ISP services. 1. Consumer: Dial-up account with unlimited access for $20/month. Includes 3 e-mail addresses and 5M of web storage space. (500 users x $20 = $10,000/month, but you will barely break even doing this.) 2. Business: Web Page design. Domain name registration. Hosting on our server as a virtual domain with 20M of storage space. (This is where you make your money.) Hardware: 1. Get a computer. Here is a list of specific hardware, but you will also need the usual stuff like keyboard and monitor, etc. Check the hardware compatibility list first. A. Intel Pentium - Avoid AMD and other clones. These are supported, but sometimes need patches B. SCSI Hard Drive - Be careful with Adaptec controllers, some work better than others C. 64Meg Ram - Try to go to 128M or more if you can D. PCI Ethernet Card with RJ-45 and BNC. 2. Get an Ethernet Hub. 4 to 8 ports, depending on your needs. No need for a smart hub yet. 3. Call the Phone Company and get digital dial-up lines and a partial T-1 to the Internet. Digital lines have multiple lines coming in on one wire. Be aware that these lines usually mean contracts for a year or more. Consider what you can afford. Also get a block of IP addresses. 4. By a Portmaster from Lucent. This is a single box that acts as multiple modems. It connects to your network through Ethernet, and the digital lines plug into this. A Portmaster or equivalent device replaces the traditional multiple-serial port cards that placed a heavy load on the CPU. Expensive, but better than the analog mess. Also, analog lines are scarce, and phone companies prefer to sell digital lines to ISPs. 5. Get a hardware router. Linux can act as a router, but an independent router is better. Try Cisco. Your Router acts as your default gateway to the interet. 6. Battery back-up unit. This will help prevent damage and loss of data. Software: 1. RedHat Linux 5.1. Buy it from RedHat. It's cheap, and your purchase helps them make the next one better. You can get it free next time. You will also get the tech support. Install everything. Important pieces to know how to configure include the Apache Web server, Sendmail, and DNS. Go to the RedHat site and get all the bug-fix upgrades. 2. Radius server from the Portmaster CD. Install per their directions. It can be configured to authenticate users from the passwd file. 3. Register your new domain name with www.internic.net. Tips: 1. Use Linuxconf. With this utility, you can put the server in a closet and never touch it again (well, not never, but almost.) Go to the web site and upgrade to the latest version. Write a thank you letter to the author of this wonderful utility. Linuxconf gives you a web interface to remote manage everything from user accounts to your DNS server. Don't forget to check out any new modules. Under the User Account manager, set up the default home directory to be /home/httpd/html. Now when you enter a new user, a web directory will automatically be created under http://www.yourdomain.com/user. Turn on disk quotas, and set it to whatever maximum you allow. 2. Add a simple index.html file to the skel file. The skel file lists default files that are placed in the home directory of new users. 3. Now, when you get a new user, you can just enter their name and they get a web site and mail account automatically. If you sell multiple mail accounts with each user, use the POP only account manager. 4. Users can download WS-FTP, which allows them to post web pages and change the directory permissions on their web directory when they are ready to have it world readable. 5. Don't try to compete by being cheaper. I have seen too many people try this who eventually fail. People will come to you if you do simple things like return messages promptly and provide quality free tech support. Tech support does not need to be 24 hour, just be available when you say you will and be patient and smart.
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