One thing missing from your description is where the VPN goes to on the Internet. When you say the other box "has a VPN", can I take it that means that it does so in conjunction with another system, out there on the Internet, beyond the ISP? If so, and you know how to set up the routing etc. (installing some router package), you ought be able to make it work - hard to tell from here.

However, I can think of other ways of doing it on the first system:
- install a VPN client on that system
- if the emergency alarm system uses HTTP (WWW) and supports a Proxy connection, then you could tell it to use one of the free proxies out there. The outgoing IP address, visible to the ISP, would be that of the proxy.
- Or, also if HTTP-based, install a Tor client. This is also a proxy solution, but the proxy runs on your computer and can route traffic across multiple external proxies (so it's less likely to fail).

I'd be concerned about the amount of maintenance & monitoring any complicated solution might require. The more complex, the greater the chance ot all goes wrong at precisely the wrong time - especially if you have an ISP that thinks it's acceptable to decide what you can and can't do on the Internet. :mad:

The other end of the VPN is sorted 60 quid a year and there are about 20 world wide servers and the openvpn client is pretty robust in my experience and if one route fails will quite happily go looking for another server.

The box is just that with an Ethernet port, a webserver to do the setup on it, a speaker, microphone and I presume a DEC interface to the triggers. I have a sneaky feeling it does actually use VoIP for when its triggered and is pretty easy for the ISP to sniff that and block it. So the proxy option is out.

Once I have the guts of it sorted out its not actually very complicated. I will have basically created a VPN router, a couple of cron jobs to do the house keeping and restart the VPN connection every 24hours so we don't get any security certificate errors. Barring hardware failure it should be pretty robust, its not as if the coffin dodger is going to be using the laptop.

You don't need install any routing software on unix boxes to route its all under /proc/sys/net/ipv4/

Firefox 3.6 update help for Linux
 

I have an Acer Aspire running Linux.
On my last visit to Youtube it announced that I must upgrade Firefox to 3.6.
Is there anyone out there game enough to show me how to do this?
I've downloaded the update but I just can't get any farther.

I know nothing about Linux....These guys might. They seem to be discussing the very issue. What is the ""Correct" way to upgrade to Firefox 3.6? - Linux Forums

Which version of Linux?

Re Firefox 3.6
 

I initially had some probs, again on an an Acer One - Running Ubuntu 9.10 - The screen kept darkening; as if the application was "Busy" and not under control of the O/S - There then followed an update from Canocial, about three days ago and all's well since. Use your Linux system update options to see if there's an operating system update waiting in the wings. I'm sorry that I do not know about anything other than Ubuntu.

CAT III

This is starting to intrigue.
The computer is running Linpus Linux Lite version 1.0.3.E
I hope this makes sense.

Sorry, don't know Linpus but the generic instructions are:

1. Download Firefox from the Firefox download page to your home directory.
2. Open a Terminal and go to your home directory: cd ~
3. Extract the contents of the downloaded file:tar xjf firefox-*.tar.bz2
4. Close Firefox if it's open.
5. To start Firefox, run the firefox script in the firefox folder.~/firefox/firefox

Firefox should now start. You can then create an icon on your desktop to run this command. Copied from:
Installing Firefox on Linux

A "global" installation (available to all users) is possible by installing as root user (a.k.a. super user) - the traditional location would be in /usr/local.

The disadvantage in a manual installation like this is you have to keep it updated manually - Linpus won't do it for you.

first of all you need to open up the original aspire linux os

To do this go to Files > My Documents to open the File Manager. Then go to File > Terminal.

type

xfce-setting-show

Click on Desktop to get to the Desktop Preferencs and choose the Behavior tab.

Now mark under Menus the Show desktop menu on right click option.

Then type

sudo su-
passwd (enter what you want as the admin password)
yum upgrade

then leave it alone it might take ages once it comes back

it will come up with a list of upgrade packages and ask you if you want to upgrade. Say yes and leave it alone. it will eventually come back to a # then kill the window with the cross.

if that doesn't sort your problem come back and i will tell you how to add in software despo's

Now your desktop will be slightly different when you are finished if you now right click anywhere you will get a drop down windows style menu with all your programs etc which i found better than the simple interface.

I went for about a month using the aspire cut down linux then installed fedora full distrubution. If you want skype etc we can get that sorted for you as well.

Thank folks, I'll give it a go tonight.

O aye while were about it we might as well get you set up for a black screen of death.

Occassionally the bios goes tits up on aspire ones.

Aspire One Black Screen of Death | Eric.Chromick.com

That tells you how to deal with it.

Why do you HAVE to upgrade?

On my main Linux install of Mepis (Debian based) Linux Firefox is 3.5.6 (works fine) and I'll just wait until the FF upgrade hits the Mepis depositories and then it'll upgrade itself automagically.

But, as the others hint above, you CAN quite easily if you don't mind jumping thru a couple of hoops.

Mac

The linpus lite is slightly different to other linux.

Unless you go in and use yum the updates are only triggered by the aspire site.

I can't remember if i had to point it at the fedora main despositries before i could update or load gimp and other such things.

Mad Jock,
Where do I type sudo su-

did mine exactly as follows, worked first time... and am a total linux newbie:


Press Alt+F2 to show the Run program window. Check Run in terminal and click Run, which opens a terminal. If you're not familiar with the Linux command line just follow the instructions step by step. The easiest way is to simply paste the commands into the terminal with Ctrl+Shift+V. Most of them will only give feedback if an error occurs.

The first command uses wget to download Firefox 3.6 from an official mirror. You can edit the lang variable at the end, in this case en-US, if you'd like another language. All available languages are listed here, just hover over the download link to get the language code from the status bar.

wget -N "http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.6&os=linux&lang=en-US"

The next step extracts the just downloaded file and modifies a link to point to it. In a few cases a connection refused error message may be triggered by sudo, which is not an error but a bug in sudo and can be safely ignored.

sudo tar -jxf firefox-3.6.tar.bz2 --directory /opt
sudo chown user -R /opt/firefox
sudo ln -fs /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/bin/firefox

The next step links all plug-ins (not to be confused with extensions) to it.

sudo ln -s /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/* /opt/firefox/plugins

Launch the profile manager using the command below. Create a new profile, name it anything you like and select it. If you want to keep your bookmarks export them via the bookmark manager first. You can then delete the old default profile.

firefox -profilemanager -no-remote

As a bonus you can also change the icon to the official Firefox icon.

sudo sed '/Icon/ s/acs_//' -i /usr/share/applications/linpus-web.desktop

Finally reboot the AA1 to make the desktop aware of the new icon and browser location.

Files > My Documents to open the File Manager. Then go to File > Terminal

In the window that comes up. Its like DOS box that you get with windows when you run cmd.

Or if its still running after you have unlocked the xoffice menu system the one you typed xfce-setting-show.

edited to add if you use yum it will be automatic and for ever more you will be able to use yum upgrade and it will sort all your software out.

Persoanlly I would have a think about installing the full fedora OS on it.

It's a good wee box just now but after you install the full OS it turns into a helva powerfull wee PC. Persoanlly I have added a LG Burner and USB speakers now it has about 20 odd DVD's ripped on it and a heap of music. Openoffice deals with work stuff.

Even if your not Linux savy after the install the OS looks after all the updates.

Sorry Mad Jock,
but how do I install Fedora and Yum?
Bet you are sorry you said anything.

You already have a cut down version of fedora install on it.

yum is also installed on it

After you mange to find the terminal you will be cooking on gas

So in the front screen go to files then click on my documents

After its there there will be a drop down menu with an option for terminal.

After you click on that a black background window will pop up.

In that window type

sudo su-
passwd (enter what you want as the admin password)
yum upgrade

I think its best we just leave you with the orginal desktop

Sorry 'jock,
I've tried doing as you say but all I get is Connection not found.

And people wonder why Windows is so popular. :E:E