NAT Device Questions

The only way I'm aware of for doing NAT on dial up with a Windows PC is to make a separate firewall out of an old PC with the modem connected to a serial port and the rest of your network connected to a network card.

Not easy to say because it depends on many unknowns including your own experience.

Yes usually. It may be another PC.

See 1.

Very little if you can get an old PC to do it. But it would cost some time to set up.

Jason

Yes, they call those type of NAT devices LAN MODEMS. They have been around for at least 10+ years. I use to install 3COM Lan Modems for small businesses in the early 90's.

Yes, since it's not something that you as a user can subvert.

Not always, but you can purchase NAT Devices for home user (not for Dial-Up) for abotu $50 in most US places.

Here is the 3COM specs for the 56K LAN MODEM (link)

For a home user, the cost of a LAN modem is not cheap, unless you count the cost of repairing a compromised machine.

Used 56K Lan Modems run about $175 on the open market.

There are alternatives, but I've not look for one in years.

But I think you'll have trouble finding one these days :) The 3com ones are discontinued. Google can find some sites still offering them but only for silly prices.

Jason

Yea, they are discontinued, but they cost less than a PC and are cheaper to operate, and have less failure points.

As an alternative, what about using something like the SMC7004ABR Barricade Cable/DSL router? You can connect an external modem to it by serial cable, and it allows the option of using the modem as a secondary means of connecting (automatically switches if the Cable or DSL connection fails) OR as the primary (only) connection. Of course you'd need to buy an external serial cable modem and a networking card if you didn't already have them. I've seen the cards offered for as little as $5 after rebates, external serial V.92/V.44 modems in the $20-$30 range and the router in the $60-$80 range. With a little careful shopping you could probably put it together for around $100.

While they're a little expensive, and provide more features than the OP was looking for, wouldn't the Apple Airport Extreme do what he wants? Plus giving him WiFi. Not cheap at a little under $200, but there's a model with an internal 56K modem.

Easy to find, easy to support...

Thank you all very much. There is a lot to think about here. After I think it over, I'll probably stick with Sygate by itself. Casey

How about older routers? My old Netgear RT311 router doesn't have one. I don't think RT314 has one either.

There are plenty of routers that do nat that have a serial port for an external modem for a dial up connection.

How much do they cost?

Jason

With a router like the "SMC7004ABR Barricade Cable/DSL" you can connect an external modem to it by serial cable, and it allows the option of using the modem as a secondary means of connecting (automatically switches if the Cable or DSL connection fails) OR as the primary (only) connection. Of course you'd need to buy an external serial cable modem and a networking card if you didn't already have them. I've seen the cards offered for as little as $5 after rebates, external serial V.92/V.44 modems in the $20-$30 range and the router in the $60-$80 range. With a little careful shopping you could probably put it together for around $100.

I will admit that I was expecting the price of such a router to be higher. I have not used particular router you mention. Perhaps the OP should consider a SMC7004ABR but it's not likely to be very long before you can't buy an external dialup modem for connection to a 9 or

Jason

Just a little more information I ran across, for anyone interested or following this thread. The SMC7004ABR is available from several locations with the average price (for what I looked at) being in the $70-$75 range. Of course, a Google of that model number will get you not only many locations and prices, but access to complete specifications. An external serial V.92/V.44 modem, the Best Data 56SX92, seems like it would work nicely and is around $35. While a lot of the serial stuff is being replaced with USB, I don't think the serial modem market will dry up any time real soon - no data to back that up, just a hunch. :o) PCI NICs are available from $5 to $10 from almost everywhere. Of course there are also sources for used parts which could drop the cost possibly 30%-40%.

And something I ran across I had never heard of before - a dial-up modem with a built-in router, the Best Data 56NET. It's in the $60 range and comes complete with everything to connect two computers, except the network cards themselves. That might be a simpler, more inexpensive alternative for a small LAN, or extra protection for a single system, depending on situation. Just thought it was also worth mentioning in case it fit someone's needs.

ebay maybe his friend here, be a bit cheaper at least any way.

roger

Nope. RT314 has a serial port, but it only used as a management console. There is no fallback to WAN connection via modem on these. (Later Netgear models didn't have serial port at all, AFAIK.)

/Rolf