Low end router alternative?

Fri Dec 19 21:57:22 UTC 2003

I'm experimenting at home with hardware. I'm playing with low end T1
equipment at the moment. What is a low-cost router solution to hook to a
CSU/DSU? (where I don't have to pay a ridiculous $800+ IOS relicensing
fee preferably.)

With Cisco 2500's going on Ebay for $10-$30, I'd like to find something in
the <$50 price range that will do basic routing and has an RJ45 connector
plus some serial way for me to hook the CSU/DSU in to it.

Bonus abilities would be built in DHCP, NAT, 1-1 NAT mapping, port
mapping, and basic firewalling.

Maybe I'm looking at this too hard. Is there a cheap Smart-Jack to
Ethernet conversion system out there I'm missing for small businesses?

I know the hardware has been around for a while and the software I'm
looking for is not complicated. Maybe someone knows of a different OS
that'll go on the cheap cisco routers like:
http://www.mcvax.org/~koen/uClinux-cisco2500/images/

...only with a heartbeat. (That's not going to stop me from downloading it
and trying it though.)

Thanks for any suggestions on or off list.

Gerald