On 05.03.12 19:05, Craig Sanders wrote:
1. run a local resolving name-server - bind9 or dnsmasq or something.
this makes a *huge* difference.
Now that looks like advice to follow, even if I have to resort to the O'Reilly DNS book which I haven't opened in a decade or more. ...
if you use your adsl modem to manage your connection (rather than have linux control the modem in dumb bridged mode), then it may already run a dns cache,
I think it does, because when DNS stops working, rebooting the sucker fixes it.
and it probably does dhcp too so is probably already telling the dhcp clients to use it. note, however, that there are advantages to running a nameserver on a decent linux machine (or even an ancient pentium class linux gateway box) compared to a tiny little modem-class CPU with bugger-all memory.
When it works, it's good enough, and I don't have to maintain it. There's a lot to be said for the latter when you're on a bush block, cutting half an acre of grass with a brushcutter, because a lawnmower would have to be winched up and down the steeper slopes.
2. run a local web proxy (e.g. squid or apache/nginx/whatever in proxying mode) to cache images, scripts, etc from frequently visited sites.
just as with DNS, having a local cache of recurring elements like images on a page from a local cache can massively improve the responsiveness of web sites.
Now you're talking turkey. I'll have a go at that. (Have done DNS before, but not squid.)
make sure all host(s) on your LAN are configured to use them. If you run your own DHCP server, setting the name-server IP for dhcp clients is easy.
For web proxy, you can either manually configure each client/web browser to use your proxy, or use some iptables prerouting REDIRECT rules on your router/gateway box for transparent proxying (transproxying is only evil if your ISP does it to you, not if you do it to yourself :)
I'll probably keep it simple, at least to begin with, since that's easier if it doesn't work immediately. Thanks a lot Craig, for the detailed advice, all of it very helpful. Erik -- We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet. - Stephen Hawking