Connecting an XP box to the net via a SuSE10 box
 

This is probably very simple but I'm a network klutz.

A friend has a dualboot XP Pro/Suse 10 box connected to the internet. It works fine. However his wife has an XP box that shares an internet connection through his machine. Both machines have nics connected to a little 4 port switch which is connected in turn to a ADSL modem.

When he's connected with XP his wifes machine connects no prob, but when he connects with SuSE her connection disappears.

Whats the setup in the SuSE box needed to get his wifes machine sharing the connection.

Cheers
Yo

Lets make sure I've got this clear - the network in question uses a switch/router/modem combo (all in one box - usually just called an adsl modem by the retailer). The XP box connects to the modem and not to the SUSE10 box. (So XP can use the internet when SUSE is completely disconnected i.e. by pulling the plug out.)

In which case - this is very unlikly a linux problem, more likely a router problem. Check the settings in the modem to see if anything changes when SUSE is using the network.

No... 4 port switch to which both machines are connected. The switch is connected to the modem. Two seperate components.

Nope the Dual boot box shares it's connection, when in booted into windows. The wifes machine then connects throught that. Switch the Dual boot box off and the connection disappears. Boot to SuSE .. no connection

Problem with that is that it's not a router, it's a modem

the modem and all the computers are plugged into the switch?
the modem is plugged into the NAT port on the switch?
then the switch is a HW router as well - cool.

The network diagram looks like this...
The question remaining unanswered is:

Can the wife-XP box connect to the internet when the Dual-boot box is physically disconnected from the switch?

color me stuped, but I don't get it, is it:
and if so, what's the point of the switch?

hm, as I understand it, he means:

suse/xp ---- modem
|
|
switch
|
|
xp

More like this:
When they're both in XP, Wifeys box connects via ICS on the dualboot box.

Cheers
Yo

So are you just looking for a way to get "internet connection sharing" on the suse box?

yep... as stated in the first post.

you can use something like firestarter firewall to do that but you could just use a script if you just want NAT.
Maybe look at http://firegate.sourceforge.net/

Sorry to vanish on you like this - my computer blew up. How did you get on?

BTW: what's wrong with connecting both machines via the switch and let the hardware do the hard stuff?

That's what we did in the end. It turns out that it was only an issue if he logged out of Windows and into SuSE while wifeys machine was connected. Not exactly sure what's happening but it's working OK now. She just reboots and all is good. Dodgy workaround which I think has something to do with the network default settings in the XP box.. However laying hands on that box is pain of death stuff! :) It'll have to wait till Wifey goes on holiday.

just last peice here - Whats the ip address on both boxes ? if you can tell

On windows xp - Click on "Run", Type "cmd", hit return key, Type "ipconfig /all"

on suse - click on terminal window at bottom (near suse/start button) type "su -"
it will prompt you for password - type your root password - Then type "ifconfig eth0"

If you could we would at least know it is not a address conflict