Hello,
I m quite new to linux arena. I have installed debian GNU/Linux 3.0 with kernel 2.2.20-compact on pentium 100MHz, 32MB RAM, 1.5GB HDD. I wanted to use this machine as internet gateway with firewall for ADSL connection.
I am trying since last 2 weeks to understand the problems, which i m facing but now seems that i m unable to find it. i have following problem/confusion:
1) I have downloaded the new kernel version "2.4.18" and recompiled and installed it in debian way. (make maenuconfig--> make-kpkg --appendto-version=.ddmmyy). After installing the *.deb file when i use "uname-a" to see the current version of kernel, it always shows the old version (2.2.20-compact). Did i installed new created debian package correctly or what can be the reason for it???

2) To use this PC as gateway i tried to install "Ipmasq" but i always get the following meassge on startup:
"Initializing IP Masquerading...IP Masquerade has not been enabled in kernel".

if some body has any idea, it will be great help for me.
thanks in advance.
Best regards

If you are using lilo as the boot loader did you modify it for the new kernel? If not that is reason why. Did it warn you about initrd? If it did you need to edit lilo to accomodate this. If you are using the old 2.2.2 kernel ip-masq may not be supported whereas it should be in the 2.4.18.

I'm going to agree that you may have overlooked running /sbin/lilo to wind things up. If you are running lilo that is, it won't see the new kernel until you do that after the compile. I usually have used bzlilo in the past to do the same thing (but read up on that before you go that route).

Thanks for your replies. In my "lilo.conf" there are following entries:
***********************
boot=/dev/hda1
root=/dev/hda1
compact
install=/boot/boot.b
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
delay=20
image=/vmlinuz
label = Linux
read-only
**********************
and this "image-->vmlinuz" always points to new kernel image, which is "vmzlinuz-2.4.18.041020 " in my case. So it seems to me that i dont need to change in lilo.conf as link is always updated by debian package installer.
I used the ":/usr/src/ dpkg -i kernel-image-2.4.18.041020" to install new image and during installation it asked to wipe out the old LILO configuration and create new.
No, it didnt warned me about initrd.
still i m having same problem and cant make it working.
your further suggestions are awaited!!!
Thanks a lot for it..
best regards

Check / and tell us what vmlinuz files are there

Hi Again,
I reinstalled the system with Debian 3.0 and this time, i updated all packages from internet. By default again it installed kernel-image-2.2.20-compact.
I used "dselect" to find the new kernel image (kernel-image-2.4.18-1-386). During package installation, it asked me/gave warning for "initrd". It asked me if im using LILO as boot manager then i should put entry "initrd=/initrd.img" under "image=vmlinuz" stanza.
after doing it, i again restarted the packgae installation via dselect.
now my LILO.conf looks like this:
******************************
boot=/dev/hda1
root=/dev/hda1
compact
install=/boot/boot.b
map=/boot/map
vga=normal
delay=20
image=/vmlinuz
initrd=/initrd.img
label = Linux
read-only
********************************
During installation it has created the symlink "initrd.img", which points to "/boot/initrd.img-2.4.18-1-386" and symlink "vmlinuz", which points to "/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-1-386". All entries seems me ok.
after reinstalling the new kernel image, unfortunately, again i get the same kernel version (2.2.20) at startup and by "uname -a".
im really dipressed now. i spent so much time just to upgrade the kernel. Now i cant find any logical reason why it cant load the new kernel.
Please some body help me!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks in advance.
Best Regards

on root there are two vmlinuz symlinks.
1. vmlinuz (--> boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-1-386)
2.vmlinuz.old (--> vmlinuz-2.2.20-compact)

in /boot directory there are following vmlinuz* files:
1. vmlinuz-2.2.20-compact
2. vmlinuz2.4.18-1-386
and corresponding system.map.* and config* files.
System.map-2.2.20-compact
System.map-2.4.18-1-386
one initrd file
initrd.img-2.4.18-1-386
and some boot files.

thanks for ur help.
best regards

To save a lot of fiddling around re-install again (its good practice) and when you get the first boot screen from the install cd enter bf24 and this will install the 2.4 kernel. Press f3 for the install options.

Hi, i did the same at home for my network.

If you patch the kernel source with dselect it wont work, you have to download the full kernel from kernel.org.
Download it and put it in /usr/src
Untar it with tar -zxf linux-2.4.xx.tar.gz
cd linux-2.4.xx
make menuconfig (to do that you need to install kernel-package libncurses5-dev iproute iptables)
choose your kernel options (you must activate the "kernel netfilter" to do a firewall with masquerading)
save your choices and exit
type: make dep
type: make-kpkg kernel-image
after 1 hour :-) type: cd ..
type: dpkg -i kernel-image-......
When a question comes up to ask if you want to update your lilo configuration answer yes.
reboot your new system

To build a firewall type: apt-get install fwbuilder
after installation in X environment open fwbuilder gui.
Design your firewall NAT rules, your policies, compile it...
The compilation generates an executable file with .fw extension.
Execute it and then witch your filtering tables how changed (iptables -L)

I can assure you that it works fine...

Hope this helps, bye Kess...

Thanks for your replies.
As suggested by Kess, i downloaded the latest version of kernel from www.kernel.org , linux-2.6.9 (as i thought i shld take latest stable version). i tried to compiled it but i get every time
*****************************>>>
Warning: you may need to install module-init-tools
********************************<<<
then some messages like
******************************>>>
INSTALL arch/i386/kernel/scx200.ko
INSTALL drivers/acpi......
INSTALL .........
*****************************<<<
and so on
and then
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in /usr/src/linux/debian/tmp-image/lib/modules/2.6.9.041021/kernel/drivers/acpi/thermal.ko
make[2]: ***[_modinst_post] Error 1

and then it terminates. I tried 3 times to compile with different config settings but all the same messages comes and it terminates.
seems my luck has no Linux kernel compilation..lol.
now trying to install these "module-init-tools" but i have already installed kernel version 2.2.20 which has "modutils" and module-init-tools has conflict with "modutils". goshhh...
God help me...
i wonder, how can i make so simple things like kernel upgradation so complicated.. or is it for you geeks also same.
any more suggestions shalls be appreciated.. i m really tired now...
zzzzzzz..khrrrr..zzzzzzzz
Best regards

Hi,
as suggested by TigerOC i installed "bf24" with kernel 2..4.18. It seems that now this time something can be done fruitful.
This is a Pentium-75MHz Pc with 32 MB ram and 1.5 gb hdd.
As suggested ny Kess, i was going to install fwbuilder to build firewall but the problem i sthat i cant make xwindows working.
Is it possible that i have less resources to run XWindows?? what is the minimum hardware requirement for xwindows???
I have configured xwindows for "vga" with 16 colors, generic vgs monitor, 16 bit colors.
when i use startx then i get following msgs:

VGA(0):Not usinf defualt mode "1600X1200" (insufficient memory for mode)
VGA(0):Not usinf defualt mode "1791X1344" (insufficient memory for mode)
........................
.........................
VGA(0): mode pools is empty
vag(0): virtual size is 320x200 (pitch 320)
....................
............
Loading /usr/x11R6/lib/modules/libfb.a
Module fb: vendor ="The xfree86 project"
compiled fir 4.1.0.1 module version=1.0.0
Fatal server error:
AddScreen/ScreenInit failed for driver 0

XIO: Fatal IO error 104 (connection reset by peer) on X server "0:0" after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

does any body has idea, whats wrong with it....
Thanks for ur help
best regards

Unfortunately you don't have sufficient memory for this and it would be so slow anyway.
I have a slightly quicker system and more ram that I run my own Internet server/firewall/nat router on and have no gui on it @ http://www.oats.org.uk/linux with some info and links for this type of application and use MonMotha's script on it detailed below.
Lets get to your requirements. You need a server which you have, a firewall and router.
You need to install ip-masq ( apt-get install ip-masq) then you need to enable iptables and various associated modules through modconf. So do modconf and go down to Select kernel/net/ipv4/netfilter modules and enable them all just to be safe.
I suggest getting MonMotha's firewall 2.3.8-pre9 and call it rc.firewall
here and download it. Read the documentation here because you need to configure the top part for your network configuration. Once you have done this then move but preferably copy the script to /etc/init.d. Make the script executable by doing chmod 700 ./rc.firewall. Now you need to get it to take effect once networking starts so you need to symlink it to /etc/rc2.d ->/etc/rc6.d;
ln -s /etc/init.d/rc.firewall /etc/rc2.d/S89rc.firewall and repeat this for rc3.d, rc4.d,rc5.d and rc6.d (tip; at the command line up-arrow and back-arrow to the rc#.d and increase the #+1). Now do /etc/init.d/rc.firewall start. If there are any problems it will tell you and you'll have to go and fix them.
You will see from the script that it will allow entry via specified ports, it will allow the specified ip-#s on your network out on to the net and it should stop unwanted traffic onto your network.
There was a more concise howto on this here but the link seems to be broken at the moment.
Hope this helps.

Rob

Thanks a lot TigerOC for your valuable suggestions. i will try to follow as you explained.
yaa, just to inform you. i have little success with xwindows now. I use "vesa" driver for my S3 86c764/765 card and can start xwindows but still having little bit problem with user interface. start up screen is just a greay screen with mouse cursor (X). when i press left mouse button a menu pops up but on releasing mouse it disappers. whne i move mouse, it repaints the contents of screen.
but now i feel that positive things are coming in steps

Thanks once again for your great help
Best regards