A Firewall for linux

marsques · 01-04-2004, 05:15 PM

could you please recommend a firewall which could be used (have tried Guarddog and Firestarter) had trouble installing Firestarter as it keeps asking for a libasound.la libasound.so could not find it anywhere... or if you could tell me from where can i download the mentioned files it would be grately appreciated...

thanks

ac1980 · 01-04-2004, 07:12 PM

I use shorewall, it's flexible, easy to learn and lightweight.
Actually there is a firewall/router built-in in most linux distro, iptables. It works at kernel level. It's almost impossible to setup

That's where some so-called firewalls such as shorewall come in, they simply help you manage reasonably iptables

http://lists.shorewall.net/pipermail...er/000064.html

futhark · 01-04-2004, 09:18 PM

It is true learning iptables is hard when you don't have prior knowledge of software firewalls. I have spent a lot of time improving my own iptables firewall. I am still collecting bits from the net from time to time. It is only recently I have understood how to host internet games on my local network. I didn't understand how to let them through.

If you don't make a living learning that kind of stuff, consider buying a hardware router/firewall. It will be way safer and easier than messing with iptables.

If you choose the hardway, I suggest this doc:
http://iptables-tutorial.frozentux.n...-tutorial.html

Good luck!

marsques · 01-05-2004, 12:25 PM

thanks guys... sure will give shorewall a go ... about ip tables ... its like doing maintainace work in production factory... unless you know what to do... ur completely lost!

by the way does it mean that if you know how to read and manage iptables you basically dont need a software firewall?

marsques · 01-05-2004, 05:13 PM

well i sorted ma problem out... re installed gnome and things are back to normal... firestarters on fire keeping the flies away...

mac_phil · 01-05-2004, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by marsques
thanks guys... sure will give shorewall a go ... about ip tables ... its like doing maintainace work in production factory... unless you know what to do... ur completely lost!

by the way does it mean that if you know how to read and manage iptables you basically dont need a software firewall?

Shorewall, Firestarter, and iptables are not different firewalls. Shorewall and Firestarter are merely graphical interfaces for configuring iptables. Iptables is itself a software firewall, but not in the sense of an add-on Windows software firewall. The firewall is in the Linux kernel itself.

However if iptables is running on a dedicated box then it qualifies as a hardware firewall!

ac1980 · 01-08-2004, 11:29 AM

Here's a joke I wrote about iptables in a post...

Quote:

Background: a firewall in integrated in (almost) every linux system: what actually takes care of rejecting and/or forwarding is iptables, which mostly resides in kernel. However, iptables config is pretty hard to understand. Have a look by typing 'iptables --list'.
Think of it as a list of which streets are open or blocked, and you need to allow certain points to be connected. Unless you know really well the city (your network) and spend much time thinking at this, you would likely open the main avenues. This is quite unsafe, since burglers, cia agents and even tanks could get stright to your city core.
That's where 'firewalls' come in: they ease you the task to only allow wanted folks in your town (sounds xenophobist, does't it? ;p )

marsques · 01-08-2004, 12:41 PM

thats sure did clear the storm... but the clouds are still there...