Server Test & Basic Server Questions

[Hellboy]

OK, I'm already to host my first Dom3 game, and my server should be all set and ready to go, but I would like to test it from outside my firewall. If someone could just upload their pretender, let me start the game, and then run the first turn, that would be awesome. This should just take a few minutes of your time. I'd like to do this today, in the next hour or two, if possible.

Server Stats:
24.22.140.14 1024 Game is in EA, so you need to upload EA pretender


Secondarily, I have a few questions on Dom3 Servers:
1) I've got this on a dedicated Windows XP box, I have cable for access, which is technically DHCP. My firewall is set up correctly (I hope), and last I checked, w/ cable access you could generally get away w/ pretending like you have a static IP (since it was actually a rare event for them to change your IP address). Does this sound like a reasonable configuration for a Dom3 server?

2) Is it still the case that cable providers change your IP address quite infrequently? And am I correct in thinking that, for Dom3 purposes, if they do, all I have to do is let all the players know the new IP address?

3) Any other big "gotchas" I ought to know about before starting the game on my server? (I do know to set the master pw)

4) My next step will be to set up a linux server on another old PC I have laying around - anyone care to point me at a good place to get started w/ Linux? I have done Linux before but I think its been 6yrs+

Is Red Hat still a good way to go (I don't mind paying for the CDs - my priority is to ease the learning curve, and the pain of installation)? I did try linux.org, and I found 404s left and right on all their installation docs...