internet connection sharing through a modem...
 

Hi there.

I'm having some problems getting my second machine to connect to the internet via my first machine. Both boxes are running Mandrake Community 10.0 and are connected with an ethernet.

I don't know how to set up the internet because I can't tell if they need static IP addresses or if one should be a DHCP server and the other a client. I think that the IP that I receive from my ISP is a dynamic IP address so it's different every time. Does this then entail that they should run DHCP?

I'm really lost here so if anyone knows the simple way to network 2 boxes and get them sharing their connection then that knowledge would be muc appreciated here,

Ta Muchly.

How are the two computers connected together. A hub, crossover cable etc.
If you only have a couple of PCs then setting up static IP addresses will be the easiest. You can use the Mandrake Control Center to configure both the network and internet connection sharing. The connection to the internet will be a dynamic IP address but the dialer software takes care of that.

http://doc.mandrakelinux.com/Mandrak...onnection.html

ethernet setup
 

ok. I think I've got that so far, except the info that I just read in the documentation you redirected me to said about the dhcp server being automatically installed for the connection sharing. Either way, I'll tackle that one when I get to it.

Meanwhile, I'm still confused as to what a hostname is exactly? The first bit of the networking wizard asks me to enter my host name and then the next step asks for a Zeroconf host name... What are these things and are they important?

Appreciate your help...

make them both the same and you'll be fine