Configuring Firewall in Linux (ipchains Firewall) 6

[mal4462]

I need to configure Linux to act as a Firewall -- I am using Red Hat 7.1. How do I do this, or is this even possible? If you cannot answer, then can you point me in the direction of research material/books?

Thank you

 

[wahooguy]

Configuring Linux to run a firewall is pretty simple if you follow the Ipchains how to at

http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/IPCHAINS-HOWTO.html.

This will not only give you examples on how to establish the firewall, but it is also a good lesson in networking.

If you need some hard copy, try Red Hat Linux 7 Unleashed by SAMS or The Red Hat Bible.

 

[johnhoke]

Another possibility in a root console, run setup then configure the firewall...

additionally, (if installed) in gnome, you can run gnome-lokkit to configure the firewall.

Next I would suggest taking a look at ipTables, which IMO are stronger and much more flexible than ipchains

-John ---
John Hoke

 

[ifincham]

Hi,

I would definitely recommend using iptables (you'll need a 2.4.x series kernel) over the older ipchains because it has a lot more functionality - including stateful firewalling, full source and destination nat and packet mangling - when you are firewalling packets passing thru the machine ('forward' chain) you don't have to bother with input and output chains on the same traffic. Unfortunately, redhat's lokkit firewall is ipchains based so if you want to use iptables right now you have to know what your doing to some extent.

For documentation see the various howto's at -->

http://netfilter.samba.org/unreliable-guides/

Some iptables gui's anyway ...

http://expansa.sns.it/knetfilter

(for kde)

http://muse.linuxmafia.org/gshield.html

(for gnome)



Regards

 

[TheRAt]

definately agree with ifincham's comments above. RH7.1 is already using a 2.4 series kernel and iptables is not really that difficult to set up...
AV
tnedor@yahoo.com

 

[Nostradamus]

Regarding Johnhoke´s reply above.
I for one don´t like graphic interface and then you can invoke lokkit in a text-version by simply typing lokkit in the prompt.

Keep in mind though, that as far as I know lokkit doesn´t support Iptables but write rules in ip-chains instead.
/Sören