There are reasons other than serving web pages which make static ips attractive. If, for example, one travels and wishes to access one's home server over ssh -- that's just an example. On Fri, 7 Sep 2001, John J. Boyer wrote: > Hello, > For people who aren't running Web servers dynamic IP's are an advantage, > since they make the hacker's job harder. Our DSL service from TDS Metgrocom > uses DHCP. > John > > Computers to Help People, Inc. > http://www.chpi.org > 825 East Johnson; Madison, WI 53703 > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Henry Yen" <blinux-mail@AegisInfoSys.com> > To: <blinux-list@redhat.com> > Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 17:17 > Subject: Re: Static IPs > > > > On Fri, Sep 07, 2001 at 01:38:57AM -0700, Karl Dahlke wrote: > > > Someone described a pseudo-always-on dsl connection from Ameritech, > > > wherein the company drops you if you're not busy, > > > and you wake up with a new ip address. > > > What a frightening thought. > > > > I suppose, but that's the class of service you're paying for (a high-speed > > replacement for a modem dial-up). The service normally afforded to > > "home" users doesn't normally allow one to run servers, so having a > > static IP address (which wasn't normally available under dial-up > > plans, either) isn't an issue. If you want to be able to host > > servers with static IP addresses, you need to purchase "business"-class > > services. > > > > That said, there are, in fact, many providers who will sell you "home" > > DSL service with a static IP address. > > > > > I've just started hosting my own web site, on my own machine, > > > and I don't know why I didn't take the plunge long ago. > > > It's easy, and it's fun. > > > > Yes, although I would like to point out that most home-based > > web sites often have much, much poorer security than a web > > hosting company, and in that regard contribute significantly > > to various network floods and attacks (cable service users are > > probably the worst). Web hosting companies will sell you > > your own web site which has a static IP, multiple very-high-speed > > and redundant internet connections, power backup, etc., all at > > a very cheap price (less than $20/month). There are also various > > providers (geocities, etc.) which will give you a website for "free". > > Most all of these (free and non-free) come with easy-to-use > > website management and monitoring software as well. > > > > That said, there is a significant educational benefit in > > running a server system at home. > > > > > There are numerous advantages, and a couple disadvantages. > > > Well anyways, it would be unthinkable if I had such a terrible isp. > > > I certainly can't reprogram all the name servers on the internet > > > every time they decide to give me a new ip address. > > > > There are several "dynamic DNS" providers (many non-free but cheap, and > > a few that are free) which will allow you to make more-or-less > > real-time DNS changes on-line. This kind of service will mostly > > take care of the dynamic IP address problem. > > > > There is also a service called "URL forwarding" which also eliminates > > the problem by assigning a static IP, but invisibly re-directing > > to/from the server (dynamic IP address or not) of your choice (a two-way > > proxy, so to speak). I'm not sure if there's anybody doing that > > for free, but again it's available cheap (a few dollars a month). > > > > > The cable at-home service doesn't work like that, > > > and I have nothing but good things to say about them. > > > > I doubt that their terms of service have much to say regarding how > > the service is provided (e.g., static IP address), and they > > will no doubt change it in the future, anyway. > > > > > They even tried to help me set up, > > > knowing that I was on Linux. > > > That's pretty rare. > > > > Yes, but less so as time goes by. > > > > > Getting back to the IPs; > > > one day we lost the bill, or it got lost in the mail, or whatever, > > > and I was behind, so they turned off the service. > > > I called with my credit card to turn it back on and asked, > > > please please please, > > > can I have my old ip back again. > > > "Sure, we've been saving it for you." > > > Now that's class, > > > and its certainly important to those of us who are hosting our own > sites. > > > > You shouldn't count on it, as it will eventually change; also, > unfortunately, > > your experience is far from universal. > > > > -- > > Henry Yen <henry@AegisInfoSys.com> Aegis Information Systems, > Inc. > > Senior Systems Programmer Hicksville, New York > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Blinux-list@redhat.com > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Blinux-list@redhat.com > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > -- Janina Sajka, Director Technology Research and Development Governmental Relations Group American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Email: janina@afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175 Chair, Accessibility SIG Open Electronic Book Forum (OEBF) http://www.openebook.org Will electronic books surpass print books? Read our white paper, Surpassing Gutenberg, at http://www.afb.org/ebook.asp Download a free sample Digital Talking Book edition of Martin Luther King Jr's inspiring "I Have A Dream" speech at http://www.afb.org/mlkweb.asp Learn how to make accessible software at http://www.afb.org/accessapp.asp