Turning The SEGA Dreamcast Into A Linux Router

An anonymous reader writes "This highly detailed 101-page how-to article provides the necessary background and procedures to turn a SEGA Dreamcast gaming console into a Linux-based router with firewalling and virtual private networking capabilities. The article explains how to create the necessary toolchain for compiling both programs and the Linux kernel, and shows how, starting from scratch, you can build a Linux operating system that runs entirely in memory."

Comments

Broadband Adapter

[Samus]

I have an old dreamcast laying around that I would love to do some of these things with but I lack the broadband adapter. I suspect many people out there are in the same boat. Is there some other hack out there that slaps a network card onto this thing or am I just out of luck?

Re:Broadband Adapter

[Alizarin Erythrosin]

I think that was the adapter's given name. It was just essentially one of those plug in thingies to replace the modem to allow the Dreamcast to hook into ethernet.

Too bad they're so freaking expensive.

Re:Broadband Adapter

[Anonymous Coward]

I've never heard of one, but you can still find dreamcast broadband adapters for ~50-100 bucks on ebay.

Sometimes you can find a LAN adaptor (model number HIT-300) that doesn't work with released games and needs a slightly different driver. That'll work for ya too.

http://www.lik-sang.com/ seems to occasionally get both varieties in stock, if you don't like ebay.

If course, if you just want to program the thing you can put together a PCdreamcast serial cable for 15 bucks or so.

That's not an article...

[heldlikesound]

its' a short book....

you got it backwards!

[mpweasel]

What I'd like to see is instructions on how to turn an old linux router into a top-o-the-line gaming console.

Router?

[foxtrot]

I have a Dreamcast.

I have a Broadband adapter.

The Broadband adapter's plugged into the Dreamcast-- and there's no place to plug in another one.

Seems to me that a router with only one ethernet port is kinda limited in functionality...

-JDF

Re:Router?

[merlin_jim]

Seems to me that a router with only one ethernet port is kinda limited in functionality...

That is why this router has a VPN built-in.

The idea being that you connect all your computers in a flat LAN configuration, with your router sitting on the LAN like everything else. Then you configure all your network connected devices besides the router to talk to the router via VPN on private network addresses. You basically then have two different networks running over the same cable; your private VPN that the broadband adapter won't route, because you used private network addresses, and the public IP network that basically only includes your broadband modem and your dreamcast router. The router takes VPN packets and turns them into public IP packets, and the reverse.

Easier instructions

[moosesocks]

1) Sell dreamcast on ebay
2) Buy linksys/netgear router for ~$35
3) ????
4) Profit!

Re:Better idea...

[FatalTourist]

if you have the money.
The Dreamcast will run you $30 and the broadband adapter around $100. That's less than half of the Wal-mart special.
As an added bonus, the Dreamcast is small and just plain adorable.