System Requirements

Overview

General hardware requirements and recommendations are listed here.

Network Cards

PCI Network Cards

Generally, Linux does a good job at auto-detecting hardware. Most mass-market PCI network cards are supported. Refer to Red Hat Hardware Compatibility List to check the compatibility of your network card. If you see your network card listed for an older version of Red Hat, then the card is almost certainly also supported in more recent versions. If you plan on buying new network cards for ClarkConnect and have two spare PCI slots, then save yourself some time and select the network cards that are designated 100% compatible.

ISA Network Cards

Do you only have ISA slots available or older ISA network cards around? You can still install the ClarkConnect software, but it will take some extra work to get the network cards working. You may have to edit the driver configuration file - see ISA Network Cards.

Wireless Network Cards

Though wireless card drivers are included in ClarkConnect, we cannot guarantee compatibility. For this reason, wireless network cards are not recommended. Instead, we suggest purchasing a dedicated wireless router for your network.

Internet Connection

ClarkConnect supports most DSL (including PPPoE) and cable modem broadband Internet connections. We do not expect to add support for ISDN or satellite broadband at present. However, if you have had success with getting Linux working on such a system, then please let us know. We want to hear from you!

Cable Modems

Most cable modem Internet service providers will include a standard Ethernet card and external modem to enable your high-speed Internet connection. The days of proprietary software and logins are mostly behind us, so you should be able to set up ClarkConnect without too much tinkering. However, some cable modem providers may still have some quirks. Fortunately, Vladimir Vuksan has put together a great resource of Cable Modem Providers. If you are having trouble getting ClarkConnect to work with your cable ISP, check the following web site for some troubleshooting tips.

ClarkConnect includes the software required to connect to Australia's Telstra Big Pond Service. Make sure you select the BPALogin option in the installation wizard.

DSL and PPPoE

During the ClarkConnect installation process, you will be asked which type of DSL service you use - PPPoE or Standard. These are mutually exclusive implementations, so you will need to select the correct type during installation. It is very important to know how your Internet service provider configures your network. If you are not sure, ask the ISP's technical support staff before you begin.

Wireless

The software supports wireless networks. Make sure you select a supported wireless card.

ISDN

We do not support ISDN Internet service providers.

Links

• Compatibility
• RAID Support and Compatibility