I've read an IPTables file on the internet and it got me thinking, "if I can't understand a tutorial, maybe I'm going about the learning process incorrectly". (or I'm just too stupid). I've been doing as much reading as I can to avoid posting naive questions to forums but it seems that everything I read is either out of date, or over my head.
So far, here's what I've managed to do and my goals:
1) Linux system that has Red Hat 7.1 installed. I had it dual-booted with Win98 to prove I could, and that went fine, but now it's going to become a router/server, so why waste space with Windows? It is connected to my cable modem and I'm using the KDE desktop. I can ping yahoo. So far so good, right?
2) My wife's system is a Windows98 machine and she needs access to the internet (more than I do, actually). My 2 machines are able to ping each other, and the Linux box can still get outside to play. Again, so far so good.
3) I don't need DHCP and I don't really know if I need DNS, but I DO need to understand how to route my connetion through the Linux system to the Windows system, and add at least a basic level of firewall.
I read stuff that seems really basic, and it turns out to be for an old kernal and I don't have some of the files it refers to. I've got a book from 1999, QUE, Mastering Linux, and IT'S even out of date!!! How can I get a handle on this if I can't find stuff that's relavant. I read this recent article, and it refers to make config on the iptables program, and I'm already lost. I'm on a mailing list for a users group, but I don't want to flood them with a bunch of idiot questions. Do you have a suggestion on how to proceed getting the information I need? I'm obviously willing to read, and I've come a long way in the last few weeks, but I think I've hit a wall.
I don't even know how to install the latest version of SAMBA, but that's for a different time. First, I'd REALLY like getting the routing going. Let me know what details you need.
Thanks in Advance,
Michael Derksen

In Red Hat there is a configuration program for the firewall rules.
In the Gnome environment you reach it from Gnome->Program->System->Firewall....something
Don't know where to find it in KDE, haven't used that so very much.

For reading I can really recommend the Linux Documentation Project found at:
http://www.linuxdoc.org
And to get an overall view of some topics in linux you could take a look at their guides. Tutorials formed more like books/manuals for beginners administrators etc.

You will not need to set up DNS.
I haven't had the opportunity to try internet sharing, still waiting for my new machine.

Look specifically for documentation regarding IP masquerading ( I am assuming you either have a DHCP assigned IP address from your ISP or only have one IP address). Your Linux box will need to have two Network cards, one for the DSL modem and another for your internal network. There is a graphical GUI for IPtables (also known as netfilter, http://netfilter.samba.org) at www.fwbuilder.org. It is a drag and drop style of interface with a tool to help you build a policy.