Basic newbie networking question
 

Hello all,

I'm pretty much a complete noob when it comes to Linux and TCP/IP. I've searched around on google and in forums a fair amount to try to find how I should configure my network, but could find no answers geared enough towards what I'm trying to do.

I apologize in advance if what I'm asking is ridiculously easy, or If I neglected to provide enough information.

My hardware setup is as follows :

DSL Modem
|
Wireless Router (192.168.0.1)
| | |
| | Win Box (192.168.0.3)
| |
| Win Box (192.168.0.4)
|
Linux Box eth0(192.168.0.2)
|
Linux Box eth1(?)
|
Win Box(?)

Ok, so I'm trying to have my Linux box set up as gateway for a particular Win box.

I recompiled my kernel so I have Iptables instead of Ipchains (I know nothing about either but I needed Iptables apparently in order to run an application called Shorewall (www.shorewall.net) which is supposed to be a dumbed down way to set up a gateway). I am using a Debian distro w/ kernel version 2.4.20 (tho I'm not sure that matters since this is just a basic TCP/IP question)

My questions are what should the IP/gateway addresses of the eth1 device be, and what should the IP/gateway addresses of the ethernet device in the Win box be?

Also, if those are set to the correct values, will any other tweaking be required? Do I need shorewall? Do I need to figure out how to use Iptables?

As I said before, I apologize if these are dumb questions.

I will respond with any additional information needed. Thank you in advance for any assistance provided.

Hi KellyH.
I am completely new at Linux as well, even more so than you by the sounds of things, but I do know networking IP quite well.
In short, you can give the Linux Box eth1 and Windows Box any private address at all, provided they are on the same network as each other and on a different network from your 192.168.0.0/? network.
For example, you could give Linux Box eth1 192.168.x.1/24 and your Windows Box 192.168.x.2/24 provided x is not 0 (assuming your 192.168.0.0 network has a 24 bit mask).
Of course, the dg of the Windows Box should be eth1 of the Linux Box... and the Linux Box will have to have router funcionality (no idea how to enable this? complete noob) and your Linux Box's dg will have to be the private interface of your wireless router.
And don't forget DNS server addresses on the Windows Box.
This should work, provided I read your diagram correctly, and that the Linux Box eth0 and LB eth1 are the same machine with 2 network interfaces?
No idea what shorewall is, but I do know that iptables is a firewall. Use of it is probably recommended but absolutely not explicity required for ip connectivity. Besides, you probably have a firewall at your adsl router right? My adsl router is a router, modem and firewall all in one.
I do not know your level of competency in ip addressing, please feel free to ask if you want me to delve deeper or dumb it down a touch...
Hope I helped...

Oh, of course I just realised something else.
Whatever network you assign to your 2nd private network, your adsl router is going to have to have a route added either statically, probably the best way here, for that network added with the gateway eth0 of your Linux box, else packets will not be able to route back to your 2nd private network.
This will depend entirely upon whether your hardware (adsl router) can be setup like this.