To answer your question, Perl already pre-installed on most servers. Then, just download the software from Ikonboard.com which contains the CGI files, and you're ready to go.
Yeah, F2S is a very popular service, especially with Ikonboard users. Of course, if you want the fastest speed and most reliability, paid hosting is the best way to go. HostSearch.com is a very good resource for finding the best company.