What do I need for starting with this article?

You need at least the following stuff to get along with the next two chapters:

• Of course, a SEGA Dreamcast gaming console.
• A personal computer with a running Linux distribution. I'm using the Debian GNU/Linux distribution Woody, but any other distribution with the GNU Compiler Collection would do the job. It's possible to do the job with any other Unix you want to (for example NetBSD, FreeBSD) or even Microsoft Windows with Cygwin extensions, but I'll describe in this article the steps using (Debian) GNU/Linux, so keep this in your mind.
• A CD burner for transferring the software to your SEGA Dreamcast.

The following things make your life easier:

• A Coder's Cable. This is a serial cable for connecting a SEGA Dreamcast gaming console through a serial port with your host.
• A VGA box. This is an adapter for using your computer screen with a SEGA Dreamcast.

For a complete ADSL software router with firewalling and virtual private networking, you have to be in need of the following components:

• An ethernet networking adapter for the SEGA Dreamcast. Either the SEGA Broad Band Adapter (based on the RTL8139 chipset) or the SEGA LAN Adapter/HIT-0300 (based on the MB86967) would do the job.
• Of course, the whole xDSL stuff: DSL modem, switch or hub, cables ...

The following table gives you a short overview of the costs for getting your feet messed up with this fun:

Table 1.2: Costs for getting the whole stuff.

Component	Costs
SEGA Dreamcast	80 $
Coder's Cable	15 $
VGA box	25 $
SEGA Broad Band Adapter	110 $
SEGA LAN Adapter/HIT-0300	145 $

As you see, you will start your work for an ADSL software router with firewalling and virtual private networking for about 190$. Surely, it's much more as you would pay for a hardware router, but are you able to re-program your hardware router let alone to run your own Linux distribution?