freeBSD DHCP router

[Koinonia]

First I would like to say that BSD is awesome!

I've had so many problems with a homePNA card in linux, and after i installed freeBSD 4.5, it worked perfectly! additionally, i installed it via ftp, so i am amazed that you can install and entire OS just with 2 floppies and a network connection! i guess i need to get out more...

anyhow. the purpose of my computer is to do ip masquerading and routing. i have a homePNA card (inconvenient) so I just want to be able to route packets through the BSD box.

i have found some ways to do it using static IP addresses, but i am more interested in doing it with DHCP. additionally, i am not familiar with ipfw and natd and those commands, so i was wondering if there were any resources to up the security settings.

thank you all so much!

 

[n0cmonkey]

ipfw isnt the best firewall out there. I dont know much about it, but from what I have seen IPF is a better choice. There should be a FreeBSD port for IPF if you feel like downloading it. I run it on my OpenBSD machine and it can deal with my DHCP connection just fine.

As for FreeBSD documentation (probably includes IPFW docs) check out their site. They have some wonderful documentation there, including several FreeBSD books up on the site that you can view, read, download, and print for free (excluding costs of paper and ink of course).

 

[turbo__]

The problem with homepna cards is actually behind the 2.4 linux kernel, I guess this isnt an issue for bsd at all. Im assuming you are using the diamond home pna cards that use the amd chipset. If this is the case, then you can still use linux with a 2.2 kernel. Check out smoothwall for a nice firewall router. Im actually using a home pna setup and smootwall does an excellent job functioning as a firewall / router. Also, if you have some free time on your hands you can edit the source to the pcnet32 module to enable pna support in the linux 2.4 kernel (its only two lines of code to edit).
good luck

 

[Nothinman]

i installed it via ftp, so i am amazed that you can install and entire OS just with 2 floppies and a network connection! i guess i need to get out more...

Not to knock FreeBSD but many Linux's have installs like that, I've installed Debian many times over FTP and HTTP.

 

[freebsddude]

Please also remember to share your questions and info here!

Best Wishes

 

[n0cmonkey]

<< i installed it via ftp, so i am amazed that you can install and entire OS just with 2 floppies and a network connection! i guess i need to get out more... Not to knock FreeBSD but many Linux's have installs like that, I've installed Debian many times over FTP and HTTP. >>



Does Debian support DHCP ip addresses during an install? I heard that was an issue a little while back, but I dont know if it is still an issue. OpenBSD was supposed to be one of the few OSes that could deal with DHCP during an install...

 

[Koinonia]

thanks to all for your input.

i found a good site here that talks about DHCP. it is similar to the one that i configured for red hat a while ago, based on ISC's dhcpd. if you are curious for a BSD flavor of the daemon, it is here: dhcpd.

i did install freeBSD 4.5 using my diamond homePNA card with DHCP as well. so openBSD and freeBSD probably do it the same way. i am glad that linux can do the same thing as well, just that i've only experimented with red hat and mandrake, so i didnt know of the capabilities of debian =)

to turbo__: i am interested to know which lines of code you altered in the pcnet driver file. you do not know how frustrated i have been playing with that stupid homePNA card for such a long time!!! i will PM you to let you know my problem with it...

to freebsddude: thank you for the link.

nothinman and n0cmonkey: as a lurker, i know you two are very intelligent with your OSes, so i am extremely grateful for your inputs. =)

keep on truckin!

 

[Nothinman]

Does Debian support DHCP ip addresses during an install? I heard that was an issue a little while back, but I dont know if it is still an issue. OpenBSD was supposed to be one of the few OSes that could deal with DHCP during an install...

Yes, woody does. I'm even pretty sure potato does.