I need to forward tcp traffic through an openswan IPSEC connection to an external public IP address not located on the same network.

e.g.

Clients >> cisco firewall >>>>internet ipsec traffic>>>> Openswan >>> Internet>>>Public IP address.

The reason we need to go to the openswan server first rather than a direct connection to the public IP address is that the client doesn't want to modify or add any new servers on their site and the client terminals are not to have any internet access except for certain sites (I've setup a squid proxy for that).

I only have control over the openswan server. It has one ethernet card (eth0). If this is too complicated, perhaps someone can help we with a simpler situation where I send tcp packets to One public IP address (no IPSEC) which then gets forwarded to a second public IP address on a different server. Any help would really be appreciated.

The distribution used is FC6

Thank you

From my limited experience w/ iptables, I'd say "Probably yes."

The key is the FORWARD table. The Q is if you have the inclination to do the learning curve.

What resources have you already discovered on the web?

I've searched through a few years worth of openswan mail lists posts and most people are dealing with internal port/ip forwarding to various class c subnets.

I've followed various online tutorials on iptables. The howto's that seem to almost do what I would like deal with NAT'd networks which, again, does not seem to help me (although I may simply be misunderstanding what I am to understand).

I will no try to see if I can find a detailed resource of the FORWARD tables unless of course someone has a link to a reputable location.

Thank you

I go this working thanks to http://www.crhalpin.org/project/netfilter.html

The info that pointed me to the right direction was that forwarded packets required the following "path":


forwarded

nat/PREROUTING -> filter/FORWARD -> nat/OUTPUT -> nat/POSTROUTING

Once I add a rule for each step above. All worked as expected.

Glad you solved it, doesn't surprise me that it was that complicated.

I have a similiar situation. I added a rules for each step. But still can not port forward. I am using one nic on a public IP. Need to forward to another public IP.

OK, nevermind. I fixed the rules and it works!