Quote Originally Posted by jhntmpsn
Please can anyone provide elementary instructions or suggest links, guides, etc. for this neophyte to set up broadband connection for HD installed DamnSmall (and probably other distros). Presently, not connecting automatically.
Many thanks,
John.
Sure, I've discussed it many times. Get a home DSL/cable router. These things are dirt cheap, will form the basis of a small home network when you are ready, and provide a very important hardware firewall to keep hackers out of your system. And they take care of any needed logging in to your ISP, PPPoE or other protocols if needed, and show the ISP only one MAC address and that can be the same address as your current system if your cable company has some strange problems about seeing a different MAC address. And they do DHCP address assignment for you. So with a router I boot Knoppix or any other live Linux CD I've tried and I'm on the Internet as soon as the boot finishes. N0 Linux setup at all. No passwords to deal with, no PPPoE, no nothing.

These things used to be pretty expensive, $100 to $200 or more for a simple wired 4 port device. I paid over $100 for my first one and it was still a good deal. Now they are available frequently for $10 or less after rebate, including many with wireless support as well as a 4 port wired switch (expect a little setup needed for the wireless side though).