hi i need help on freeing port 6881 to one of the clients on the network.

i have done this by entering this line in /etc/shorewall/rules file

DNAT net fw loc:192.168.0.3 tcp 6881 -

(with tab-marks too but they not show up) "but it dosen't work"!! anyone help plzzz!!!!!

You've got 3 zones listed in your DNAT rule (net->fw->loc). There should only be 2. Try:

thanx
i tryed what you said and now it should work but everythime i restart to aplly the setting it erases it from the file!!

I've been using shorewall since day one and have never seen it erase (change) the contents of any of its configuration files. Please consider posting a better description (even proof) of the problem you are having so that we can help.

well first i tryed opening the file (as root) then I did as above and it all fited perfectly so i saved the file, closed it then restarted the computer.
i then checked the file again and the line i entered was gone. vanished into the datastram of my computer!!

I then tryed webmin. I entered the rule hit apply then restarted to see if it would do the same thing and it did. gone again!!!!

Thank you for the clarification. The problem you describe sounds like you are editing a shorewall config file that is stored on a ram drive, not your hard drive. Are you possibly runing an embedded version of linux like leaf/bering and forgetting to backup any changes you make to the boot device? i.e. flash card, floppy, cdrom

Untill you figure out why your shorewall config file changes are not surviving through a system reboot, you can apply the changes you made to any of the shorewall config files without rebooting your system by simply typing:

# shorewall restart

thanx ill try that but i think its the shorewall restarting that erases it. i also have a gateway on there too that shares internet. if i try to turn off the shorewall it atomaticly turns gateway off, and vice-versa,.

mandrake 9.1 pro