Running cable modem internet through 1700 series router

[bHubTel1610c]

I'm taking my first class in Cisco routing protocols and concepts.  I'm attempting to hook a 1700 series router with 4esw card up to my cable modem. I have a console cable hooked up and have access to CLI.

My cable modem operates via DHCP.  I've verified I have internet service through a small DLINK router, but I want to learn how to configure the 1700 series.

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!

-Bruce

Here's "show running-config"

Current configuration : 767 bytes
!
version 12.3
service timestamps debug datetime msec
service timestamps log datetime msec
no service password-encryption
!
hostname Router
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!
!
mmi polling-interval 60
no mmi auto-configure
no mmi pvc
mmi snmp-timeout 180
no aaa new-model
ip subnet-zero
!
!
!
!
ip cef
ip ips po max-events 100
no ftp-server write-enable
!
!
!
!
!
no crypto isakmp ccm
!
!
!
interface FastEthernet0
!
interface FastEthernet1
!
interface FastEthernet2
!
interface FastEthernet3
!
interface FastEthernet4
!
interface Vlan1
no ip address
!
interface Async1
no ip address
!
ip classless
no ip http server
no ip http secure-server

[Daniel Mckibbin · Accepted solution]

Do you have  a switch? Your going to need a switch for your hosts. The interface facing the modem needs to be configured with ip address dhcp.  You need to set up NAT to translate you internal addresses to a publicly routable address. PAT works well in this situation. The interface facing the internet is your outside interface and the interface with the default gateway for you hosts is the inside interface. How many ethernet interfaces does this router have? You will need at least two. You can either statically configure your hosts within the same subnet as your router or you can set up your router for dhcp to automatically hand out addresses. If you statically configure it, you need to remember to put in your ISP's DNS servers or other well know DNS servers in order to translate URL's to IP's. You will also need a static route pointing to you outside interface in order to direct traffic onto the internet. For your switch you'll need to configure a default gateway. Try looking up these topics and try to configure them yourself. If you need help just ask.

[bHubTel1610c]

Thanks, Daniel.  From what I've read, the 4esw card acts like a switch (although I could be wrong).  You've given me a place to start, and I appreciate that.