Mandrake 9.1 problems

[j1bber]

With the impending arrival of broadband to our local exchange, I took it upon myself to build the family a "nice little" firewall and router since I have for a long time been a Mandrake fan and having just got hold of the 9.1 disks it seemed like an excellent time to try this latest distro out. OH how wrong I was, how foolish to think it would be simple.
Dont get me wrong, the installation went like a dream the look and feel seems much more polished and it seems like a real move forward for the linux desktop. That unfortunately isnt what I wanted it for though.
My problems began with the external modem failing to function and the only other one I had access to being a winmodem. There are now drivers available from

http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/

that supported my modems so I have managed to get this going.

Problem1
MCC (Mandrake Control Center) wont even think about helping me with setting up the network on the modem side. I can get an internet connection using kppp but thats the only way and I dont want to have to have to start it by hand.I want to start it automatically then I can leave the box headless. I have tried to configure it through linuxconf and this works to a degree in so much as it starts the dial but the ifup command is timing out for some reason with error 2. If I do the ifup ppp0 command by hand it dials then times out with error 8. Any hints as to where to look?

Problem 2
Ive set up the firewall bit using the mandrake connection sharing wizard once the internet side is up (via the kppp) and it works fine and passes everything through nicely but its blocking my access to the firewall services (webmin, vnc etc) from the safe side. I cant work out the shorewall rules since they dont conform to the shorewall conventions.

If anyone has a better suggestion for a distro for this job please do let me know. Heres what I want to be able to do/features.

1. Firewall the other home PC's
2. Run a webserver (PHP, MySQL, Apache)
3. keep it headerless and administer it from my side of the firewall (webmin and/or vnc).
4. hang it off the net via a dial up modem pending adsl upgrade. Modem must be my HCF one I'm not spending money on a new one when the exchange goes adsl next month.
5. Support Alcatel Speedtouch ADSL USB modem (when it comes)

 

[fdalmoro]

Just out of curiosity are you using the distribution from MDK that is specifically for firewall? If you are, how would you rate it?

http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/mnf

I'm messing around with OBSD, trying to get a firewall set up but unless you want to crack your head open, don't use OBSD. I mostly want to use it because it seems more stable/less bloated than Linux. I see it as a good learning experience also.

Sorry I can't help with your specific problems, good luck.

Have Fun

 

[j1bber]

No I'm not using the Single Network Firewall or the Multi Network Firewall. I know that is the primary task but I want to use the box as an email/web server as well. If possible I also want to use it to try and convince the other household members that there is more to computers than M$. Thats why I want to have VNC on it as well, so I can say "OH just click on that and use Suchandsuch application on the other box".
I've found some how-to's on the mandrakeuser.org site that might help