This sounds familiar. That was like 03 right? I think I was running Linux on an old Thinkpad 760 as a dirt cheap pentest platform. I think it was redhat maybe. I had Mandrake (Mandriva) on a Pentium mmx and Yellowdog on a Power Mac (7600 maybe). And a home net. And dialup lol.
I still have the Thinkpad around here somewhere… I should boot that old boat anchor up again for nostalgia’s sake.