[HOWTO]setup a router/firewall

[Lechio]

Do you have an old computer (like from the times of the 486's) taking up space and caching dust?

Don't trow it away, it's time to put that machine at work and built a very powerfull router/firewall.

This setup will allow you to share a single internet connection, have a web-based manager for administration (aswell as SSH) and be protected behind a very powerfull firewall without having to buy extra hardware.

This setup is done by using a very light distro of Linux. It's name is Coyote Linux floppy firewall:www.coyotelinux.com

The Coyote Linux floppy firewall serves only two porposes: internet connection sharing and firewalll.

It has no extra hardware support/applications, other then the ones it needs to serve as router. This means that it can be very light (fits on only two floppys) and take up resources close to none.

Features:

* Linux 2.4.25 based system kernel

* Iptables based stateful firewalling

* Bare minimum of hardware requirements

* Support for Ethernet (static and DHCP), PPPoE, and PPP dialup internet connections.

* No hard drive or CD-ROM required for firewall operation

* Excellent uptime and operating system reliability

* SSH 2.0 and web based remote administration options

* QoS support

* No-cost alternative that can make use of old hardware that may have otherwise lost its usefulness.

* Easily shares an Internet connection with hundreds of LAN clients (adequate hardware and Internet connectivity required).

System Requirements:

* 486DX/25 or better processor

* 12Mb RAM

* 1.44Mb floppy drive

* Network interface card for LAN

* Network interface card or serial dialup modem for Internet connection

* VGA display adapter

In most cases you will have to setup yor computer with two ethernet cards, one for the internet connection and the other for the LAN itself (this doesn't apply if you are using a serial dialup modem).

First download the appropriate version of coyote linux for yor system:

Download page

if you are doing this in windows, download the file: Windows Disk Creation Wizard v2.16.0 .

The setup utility is a very intuitive user friendly process, it will guide you trough the whole process, u just reply to the prompts.

After having the two floppy disks done, make the appropriate cable connections in yor old machine and set it up in BIOS so that it will boot from floppy.

Put in the first floppy; power-on the machine; wait till first floppy is charged into memory; insert floppy #2; wait till floppy #2 is charged into memory; remove floppy #2.

Now u can access the web-based manager with any browser and configure the options you want from there.

Type in : http://192.168.0.1:8180

(If you changed the default LAN address of your Coyote firewall, substitute that address for the 192.168.0.1)

All work done.

Edited January 13, 2005 by LechioPT

[red8Rain]

how about some freebsd stuff?!

[Porsche Design]

wow, always had wondered what servers are

problem is, my old computers have better specs

[CaKeY]

wow, always had wondered what servers are

problem is, my old computers have better specs

585294527[/snapback]

Maybe you could try another distro and add a printer and file/media services.

Nice tut. LechioPT. Thanks .

OT - All these people and websites I see with "XP" in their name crack me up. Where they gonna go when the next version of windows comes out? ...probably the same place the '98/Me people went i guess lol.