Linux as a firewall/gateway

[seanf77]

I have a P-II 233, 128MB ram running Red Hat 7.1. If I set that up as a gateway/firewall for my other machines to access the Internet (all connected thru a 10MB hub), what should I expect for performance? Will my Internet access be slower going thru the hub and out the Linux box, as opposed to accessing the Internet directly?

Thanks!
Sean

 

[RhythmAce]

If you're connecting to the internet via cable or DSL, you should notice no difference. Even 10MB is faster than these connections will allow.

 

[ifincham]

Hi,

Well, with a ethernet hub you are always subject to collision issues that become worse the more active connections there are. If you had a number of simulataneously active boxes you might want to use a switch instead. Thats a general networking issue. however, and nothing to do with linux / firewalling as such.

If you use IP masquerading (source nat) on the linux box then it would be more or less transparent. The same would apply for adding firewalling code. However, obviously, if the linux box was already heavily loaded doing lots of other tasks then you might notice the difference.

Regards

 

[marsd]

Running the linux machine with a well configured proxy
and caching nameserver will speed things up.
I would dedicate the box though and not run much of anything
else on it.
Just a nat enabled, routing proxy running a caching
nameserver. Simple.

 

[escheider]

Put it this way, I have a 486/25 with 16MB memory running linux and acting as a firewall/gateway and have no problems whatsoever. PII 233 is more than enough to do what your looking for.