Linux Networking Cookbook

Chapter 3. Building a Linux Firewall

3.0. Introduction

In this chapter, you'll learn how to build a Linux iptables firewall from scratch. While the recipes are aimed at DSL and cable Internet users, they also work for T1/E1 customers. In fact, a Linux box with a T1 interface card is a great alternative to expensive commercial routers. If you're a normal business user and not an ISP that needs Buicksized routers handling routing tables with hundreds of thousands of entries, then Linux on good-quality x86 hardware will serve your needs just fine.

A Linux border firewall can provide security and share an Internet connection for a whole LAN, which can contain Linux, Windows, Mac, and other PCs. A host firewall protects a single PC. There are a multitude of hardware choices for your fire-wall box, from small single-board computers, to recycled old PCs, to rackmount units. Any Linux distribution contains everything you need to build a sophisticated, configurable, reliable firewall on any hardware.

Definitions and roles get a bit blurry, as an iptables firewall does both packet filtering and routing. You could call it a filtering router.

iptables is the key to making everything work. Having a solid understanding of how iptables works and how to write custom rules will give you mighty network guru powers. Please study Oskar Andreasson's Iptables Tutorial (http://iptables-tutorial.frozentux.net/) and Craig Hunt's TCP/IP Network Administration (O'Reilly) to get a deeper understanding of how ...