How to set system-wide PATH

Does anybody know how to set default sytem-wide PATH? After installing Apache, I'd like to add /usr/local/apache/bin to the system path. I don't want to do it in the .bash_profile, because that only works after a shell session is started. Thanks in advance. joe P.S. I'm also sending this message

dhcp client bugs?

My cable modem provider, RCN, told me today that my linux box, which runs dhcp client, sent out false information to RCN's dhcp server in such a way that the dhcp server still thought the IP taken by my linux box was free. That caused other RCN customers unable to connect to the network due to IP c