[plug] pppoe

[Brad Campbell]

G'day all,

I've recently got an ADSL sorted and ordered a Netcomm NB7 modem with it. I configured it like it 
said on the tin and had it connected to my server using a separate ethernet card (DMZ and all that).
I've been experiencing odd, hard to pin down errors with authentication and random connection 
problems which finally drove me to try something else.

I put the modem into bridge mode and installed rp-pppoe on the server. Suddenly all my problems have 
disappeared. It looks like issues with the NAT implementation and CPU speed on the router. Now it's 
operating as a modem only and not required to do anything other than shuffle packets, it's much 
happier and I get stable connections (both authentication and IP).

I'm positive this is old news for lots of people here, but it was a bit of a revelation to me. I 
guess given everything was being double-nat'ed - once in the server then again in the modem - it was 
a little more complex than it needed to be.

Now. My question. The modem is sitting on the network with a local ip address so I can access it. 
It's shunting pppoe packets over the network to the server, but on the same physical media, ports 
and switches as my local network traffic. Is this a security risk?

Previously, I had the modem on a completely separated network, but it makes life considerably 
simpler at the moment to have the whole box and dice on the same network segment, so I've done it. 
Am I likely to open myself up anymore than if I were on a separate segment?

Regards,
Brad
-- 
Dolphins are so intelligent that within a few weeks they can
train Americans to stand at the edge of the pool and throw them
fish.