redhat61_security_problems_must_upgrade

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Subject: Re: Network???
From: "Alan Mead" <amead8695@home.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 20:25:58 -0700


Steven,

I see that you are having some trouble with networking under Linux.  I have
much the same set-up as you (I have a cable modem but instead of plugging it
into a hub, I have a "dual-homed" Linux machine providing Network Address
Translation (NAT) to a hubbed LAN of (mostly) Windows machines.  I got it
working fairly easily but I have had my share of networking issues.

In fact, networking is in my experience a potentially frustrating aspect of
system administration.  In your case, doubly so, as you are a self-described
novice at Linux.  So it would be wrong of me not to first point you towards
a bit of the copious documentation available for Linux networking.  First, I
recommend you use the Windows machine to access:

http://www.linuxdoc.org

and follow the 'HOW-TO' link to the 'HTML format' link and then find the
'NET-3' link and read that document.  On the same site, you will find the
NAG or Network Administrator's Guide and this may also be helpful.  You
should have installed (older) versions of these somewhere under /usr/doc.

I prefer the command 'netconf' for setting up a network.  Be particularly
sure to set a default route to the gateway.  You may have questions whilst
using this tool and just post them to the list and we'll answer as well as
we can.  We will be best equipped to answer your questions if you take care
to ask direct, unambiguous questions and provide exact, unambiguous details
about what your situation.

>From the information you have provided, it SOUNDS like this is a
configuration issue but it could also be an issue with your hardware.  For
example, do you know that the on-board NIC is an Intel EtherExpress Pro or
compatible?

ALSO, you have not stated how many IP addresses you have been assigned by
your ISP.  If the answer is "one" then you cannot succeed (using ANY
operating system) by simply putting two machines on one IP.  However, using
you a different route (NAT/Masquerading) will work and in this case Linux is
an excellent choice because it is an old hand at Masquerading.  IP Masq is
pretty simple to set up (and may vastly increase the security of your LAN)
so you might even chose to go this route even if you had a different option.

-Alan Mead

PS - You REALLY ought to upgrade to the latest version of Red Hat as your
version (6.1) has a number of vulnerabilities.  At the last, you should
immediately go to

http://www.redhat.com

And follow the 'errata' link on the main page to find the list of errata for
6.1 and at LEAST install the security updates.  This will, unfortunately,
include some more difficult upgrades like XFree and the kernel.


===


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