Re: Building a Network

[Linux Newbie <linux-newbie@home.com>]

At 07:10 AM 10/31/01 +0000, you wrote:

> > What about
> > "naming" a computer? I don't recall ever seeing this?
> > In the windoze box, in the networking dialog there is a tab where one
> > can
> > give the computer a name - how does this translate to
> > Linux?
>
> In your /etc directory there should be a two files hosts and HOSTNAME.
> (at least that's how it is on my box) Anyway, HOSTNAME holds the actual
> name of the computer, and that's it. hosts holds the IP addy of the box,
> the full hostname like
> www.linux.com and
> the maching name all on one line with other info like localhost and IPv6
> on seperate lines.
>
> Now, if I understand correctly, the cable modem is connected to the linux
> box, therefore, you would need to use iptables for the other computers to
> share the connection. For my computer, which shares a modem (hopefully
> not for long) with 2 others the command is as follows:
>
> iptables -A POSTROUTING -t nat -s 192.168.0.0/8 -j MASQUERADE
> echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
>
> Hope this helps :)
> Adam


It helps... I think... 

But, in setting up the vanilla Win98 (if there is such a thing) for my
experiment, I had to 'name' the machine the same as the one the bubba
originally set up, set TCP/IP so DHCP will give it an IP addy and leave
all the rest of the TCP/IP settings blank (you know, no WINS, No DNS, no
Gateway, etc. Oh yeah, I recall I also set the workgroup to
"@home" but not sure if this was for Netbui internal use or not
since I turned that protocol off during the testing of cable connectivity
requirements. I know the cable's server gave me an IP when I ran
winipcfg.exe and clicked on renew. I know that they change their DHCP
server's IP sometimes and their DNS servers (it's not the same as it was
two months ago when I wrote the IP's down), so I have to rely on their
DHCP machine knowing mine by only the machine name - but how would it get
this name? Especially if I set up the firewall blocking services...

I want to build my machine as a router and proxy as such:

      __
     |  |
     |  | - - - - -\
    
|__|           \
    192.168.x.x     |
Firewall   Router/Proxy
     
__           
|    __        
__
     | 
|          
|   |  |       | 
|
     |  | - - - - - - - |  | - - - | 
| - - - CABLE
    
|__|          
|   |__|       |__|
    192.168.x.x    
|192.168.x.2   24.22.x.x
     
__           
|            
192.168.x.1 
     | 
|           /
     |  | - - - - -/
     |__|
    192.168.x.x

I may combine the firewall functionality into the router/proxy
server since it'll be dual-homed anyway and has to scrutinize packets
anywayz... this has always been one of those grey areas for me. I have a
single switch which will have all NICs connected - how can the firewall
as in the diagram filter stuff requested by a FTP or HTTP request from
one of the internal boxes if all the boxes are directly connected to the
192.168.x.1 proxy/router? Isn't proxy services similar to firewall
services - it seems logical (to me, but I could be out there...) that the
two should be combined?

OK, I'll be tearing apart the Win box and writing down all it's
particulars in a few minutes. I also plan to document my every move. I
got a few books handy and I plan to peruse Redhat's site a little on how
to create a floppy image and how to get the CD to work once I thrash
(format) the hard drive. I have both 7.2 images burned on CD now (I also
have a Slack 8 set burned, just in case something goes awry with
RH).

And, once I got the initial install done and I begin the recompile to
customize networking to use my equipment by typing 
   make config
What services are kernel level (answers I'll need to have for the
config questions) and what are module level? (I ask because I read about
this somewhere)

So...   I begin.

--Joe
with fingers crossed, hoping this will be a breeze