Best disto for laptop router/firewall?

[ashyukun]

I'm working on setting up my old laptop to server as a router/firewall between my cable modem and my other computers. I currently have SuSE 6.0 installed on it, but since from what I have seen, I think I will have to at least upgrade the kernel (6.0 uses 2.0.36) and a few modules to get support for my second PCMCIA network card, I'm curious if there might be a distro better suited for my intended uses.

I don't really think I'll be needing X-win on the machine, since it will be playing router/firewall and not really be used much as a terminal. I may see about setting up some of its drive (it has a 1GB drive, which I should need only a small portion of for running the firewall) on the network so I can store MP3s and other common files for access off the other computers.

Thanks! :)

[Molecule Man]

A floppy distro like Coyote (http://www.coyotelinux.com) would work. A more full microdistro like Vector (http://www.ibiblio.org/vectorlinux) would also be a good choice.

fixed links

[ 14 March 2001: Message edited by: Shad ]

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by Shad:
A floppy distro like Coyote (http://www.coyotelinux.org) would work.

i have been using coyote with my dsl since i got it in january, i haven't touched the box, even to look at it in many weeks

here is a picture :D

http://www.primethepump.org/router1.jpg

[ashyukun]

Coyote would have been my first choice to use for this, but the last time I checked, Coyote doesn't include PCMCIA support, since it is intended to be run from a floppy disk.

Don't think I've ever heard of Vector before- I'll have to check it out...

[ndelo]

I've been using RH 7 with kernel 2.4 and a few necessary packages and its been running for a while with zero complaints. The only time I touch it is to edit the chains or apply a patch. If you're looking for PCMCIA support, it may be the way to go.