Samba and Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
 

I'm a linux rh9 user and would like to use a server-side content filtering service (bsafehome.com). There service is not a proxy-based service, instead, they rely on a Window Service that intercepts web requests, and asks their servers an allow/disallow question before the client computer can connect to the web server (as opposed to a proxy server making the request, processing the request, and delivering results to the client computer). It has significant performance benefits over proxy servers, while allowing the content database to be maintained centrally; however, because it has to be a Windows Service, it only works with Windows machines.

Reading up on Windows Internet Connection Service (ICS), a "Windows-based LAN Server (I'll call it)" can be setup to connect to the cable modem. Then a client is connected directly to the Windows-based LAN Server and the Windows-based LAN Server can be configured to share services with the LAN connected computers.

So, using Samba, can my Linux RH9 box be that client, and will it use a shared Windows service? Anyone tried anything like this?

Thanks,

--Hise

ICS silently sets up DNS, DHCP and routing - making the Windows PC the equivalent of a hardware router. A Linux box can use those services to access the Web through the modem, but without knowing how the service provider intercepts the Web traffic from your network it's impossible to say. The username/password bit probably doesn't involve Samba/Windows Networking at all, though.

Given the many issues with Windows, I don't think that many people would recommend making it the network gateway with ICS these days. You might get a better response if you ask for help setting up the RH box for sharing the 'net connection, using Squid to control access.

As hob says: ICS is knows to cause some headache. Sometimes I have got it working, and suddenly it won't work.

Why not use Squid, a web cache proxy. This has all of the functions you mention, central management, transparency, performance boost (main purpose of cache proxy). It even runs smoothly on a prettey old computer, just put some memory and harddrive in it.

as long as the windows machine is setup for ics, and has a constant connection, it should be as simple as setting the ip of the windows machine as the gateway for your linux machine. if the linux box has trouble getting an ip, just setup static ip's for both boxes. one other thing to consider is your windows firewall. if your running a firewall you'll have to make provisions to allow the linux box to connect. more often than not, you won't be able to go "full stealth" and share the connection. concerning the samba, this is a whole different issue about file sharing, and has nothing to do w/sharing your internet connection. for further info on samba go here.

http://www.samba.org/

hope that helps.
good luck.

I'm doing same basic thing.

The win2k machine has the net connection. Win2k has three connections; LAN connection 1 is the first nic that is connected to the DSL modem, The DSL modem is recognized as LAN connection 2, and LAN connection 3 is my second nic, which connects to the hub my laptop is on. The computers ping ok, and Samba works
without a hitch.

Now, I'd like to not buy any hardware, because in a month or two I'm
moving, and will have different hardware to connect into then (won't
need the modem, and will be running from a wireless router)