[extropy-chat][conc] Net connection query: DSL & V4 IP addresses

Eugen Leitl eugen at leitl.org
Fri Dec 2 20:20:58 UTC 2005


On Fri, Dec 02, 2005 at 10:50:48AM -0800, Adrian Tymes wrote:

> > You can't force your ISP to not expire your dynamic IP address. They
> > can do what 

Some ISPs reassign the same IP. Some periodically separate the connection,
and reissue a new one. Few services require static IPs, and http://www.dyndns.com/
(clients typically built-in into most domestic routers) picks up an IP
change in realtime, so it's a no-brainer. 

These days, a Linksys WRT54GS or any devices listed in http://wiki.openwrt.org/TableOfHardware
is a veritable powerhouse (the equivalent of once SGI workstation Indy), runs webservers,
half a dozen of services and can even use an USB drive -- with the right firmware, of course. 
Admittedly, it's a bit excessive to natively build packages on a MIPSel brick with gcc,
but some people are kinky that way.

Of course, in times of 30 EUR/month 10 MBit flat rodent servers (2.6 TByte/month)
and 5 EUR/month VServers there's not that much sense in running a private server,
unless you're using the connection for something else, anyway (mine has a RAID
for movies and such, and also does overnight backups and is a third DNS server).

> > they want. Also by the way, if you're using a consumer connection the
> > terms of 
> > service will almost always ban you from running any kind of "server"

Then you've gots a really lousy ISP and I suggest you finds yerself a better one.

> > ports or 
> > services.
> 
> What he said - and I'm one of the few who can get away with it.
> (http://www.wingedcat.com/ runs out of my spare bedroom.)  Even

I've had absolutely no problems with huge gobs of server and P2P
traffic on residential DSL. If you do, you've got a lousy ISP.

> if you can find technical workarounds, the amount of traffic
> you're getting will eventually be a giveaway - and your ISP will

I pay a pretty penny for my service. I don't pay for the ISP to be
breaching the terms of contract, and starting traffic shaping, blocking,
or wrongful termination, and other shenanigans. I think I would be 
not amused. I might even sue.

> shut you down for breach of contract.  (My solution was to
> purchase a business connection, with static IPs.  It is more
> expensive, but I happened to luck into a situation where, in

I pay ~80 EUR/month for ISDN, including telephony,
512/6000 kBit ADSL and static IP. In other places, you get 100 MBit 
Fast Ethernet for half that (and in some places even GBit Ethernet,
I hear).

> short, someone else pays for my connection because they need me
> to have this level of service.)
> 
> > Running your stuff at home in your own "datacenter" is a luxury/folly
> > generally.
> 
> Emphasis on "luxury/folly".  If you can justify the cost (a poor
> justification being folly), it is a nice luxury to have these
> days.

A major advantage is having physical control of the hardware layer.
Of course, you could also put tamperproofed hardware in the rack,
and stick a few USB cams on it streaming stuff offsite. An USB crypto
fob can be a poor man's TPM.

-- 
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a>
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ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820            http://www.leitl.org
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