I trying to set up a RH7.2 machine as a gateway and web server. A number of windows machines would need to share the internet connection.

I thought I would start by getting dhcp and packet fowarding working first. I have the RH machine giving out ip addresses to the windows machines.

Prob 1. I am unable to ping anything by netbios name unless I put it in the /etc/hosts file.

Prob 2. I am connecting to the internet using ppp. I cannot get any of the windows machines to ping the internet. I have ipv4.ip_forward = 1. I do not know how to set up iptables if that is the next step. The example I have found on LQ are dealing with two nics and of course I am only using one.

I did not know what other information would be helpful but will provide anything that might give one of you guys a clue as to which direction I should head.

Thanks

iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o ppp0 -j MASQUERADE

That will get you going. Normally the "-o" says something like "-o eth1" meaning, "go out the second ethernet" but this should send it out your modem.

http://www.technocore.org/nerdCore/iptables.php
This should help you with some other simple firewalling things, if you want to save your windows boxes from all these worms going around.