To set up UnixWare 2 as an Internet Access Server you first need to decide how you want to use the Internet. You can use the Internet for as little as having email access to as much as "surfing the net" through the World Wide Web. Traditionally people have used the Internet for electronic mail, retrieval of documents from anonymous FTP sites, and reading electronic news groups; however, recently use of the World Wide Web (WWW) has become popular. This document will discuss several areas which most people are interested in setting up.
The first thing you need to decide is how you are going to use the Internet. This will help you decide what type of connection you will need to gain access to the Internet. If you are using it only for email and limited file transfers you might decide you only need a UUCP/dialup connection. This is the least expensive way to go. If you need full internet support (email, FTP, news service, and world wide web connectivity) you might look at a non-dedicated line using a PPP connection. This would provide you TCP/IP over a voice phone line. It is the least expensive way to get full internet support, but can be slow depending on you modem speed. The most expensive way to get full internet support is by using a dedicated line and connecting your UnixWare 2 system with a router or gateway. This line might be as little as a 56 Kbit line or as much as an ISDN line. Any of these methods will provide you with Internet connectivity, but you will need to decide which is right for your scenario.
After you have decided how you will connect to the Internet you will now need to set up your basic hardware and software. You will need at least a 486/33 process with 16Mb of RAM. You will also need a modem or ISDN card/router, and UnixWare 2 installed on your system. Another useful piece of software is a firewall, which will help to protect your system from intruders. There are several freeware versions of firewalls or you can contact a third party vendor like Cohesive Systems or Trusted Information Systems for one. At this point you are now ready to start setting up your Internet access.