Re: [cobalt-users] NAT W/PC Anywhere (also Re: Qube 2 and Network Design)

["dr. mikey" <mikey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

rpaiz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> Better suggestion: search the archives for this list using the
> keywords "Qube" "port forwarding" and "portfwd". There have been
> several detailed discussions on this topic, including URLs of
> where to find the packages. Several readers of this list have
> also successfully installed these packages (particularly portfwd)
> with reports of success and ensuing happiness.

some time ago i posted detailed instructions for compiling and
installing the portfwd utility on a qube2 (written as a draft for an
eventual knowledgebase article).  for whatever reason, those
instructions never appeared in the archive for this list, nor have they
ever made it into the cobalt knowledgebase.

because it has come up a couple of times since then, on the list and in
private email, i am re-posting those instructions (pasted in below my
sig).  i hope this proves useful to those that care.  

if you have trouble following these instructions and you can't get the
source to compile, i can always email you the compiled binary (you may
also need a c++ library or two).  i was recently able to successfully
help another list denizen this way.  for that matter, if someone more
knowledgeable in these matters was to help or advise, i would be more
than happy to create a cobalt pkg so portfwd could be installed through
the cobalt gui.

if you need any additional help feel free to post or email me offlist,
and i will help if i can.

mikey.

-- 
mike songster <mikey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
work1: http://www.biosearchtech.com
work2: http://www.chem.umn.edu/orgs/ampepsoc

spinning and spinning and spinning around...
                                       the feelies

****** rough draft of kb article follows *******

These instructions refer to the Qube2 ONLY!
Do not attempt to use these instructions with other products

QuestionNum: ###
Product: Qube2
Category: Software
Creation Date: Fri Jun 2 12:44:34 2000 PST 

Question
How can I install port forwarding for TCP connections and UDP packets on
a Qube2?

Response
NOTE: UNSUPPORTED. Cobalt Networks currently does not offer support for
third party software or modified systems.  Please contact the
appropriate software vendor for further assistance.  Modifications
through root shell access could potentially void your warranty.  A fee
will be assessed by Cobalt for fixes or rebuilds on systems with
unsupported modifications. 

Port forwarding is currently not supported on the Qube2.  However,
various third party utilities are available that will provide this
functionality, for example, Everton da Silva Marques
<evertonm@xxxxxxxxxxx> has written a small port forwarding program
called "portfwd" (the uncompiled source files can be found at:
http://freshmeat.net/appindex/1999/11/29/943881752.html).  This utility
was designed to forward tcp connections and udp packets coming into one
port to a different port on the same or a different computer, where the
port mapping is controlled by a separate config file.

Two development tools are necessary to properly compile portfwd, namely
EGCS and Flex.  Both of these programs (as well as a variety of other
useful development tools) are included in a pkg file called
"All-Kernel_mips_tools-1.0.pkg", which can be found at:
ftp://ftp.cobaltnet.com/pub/developer/Kernel/mips/All-Kernel_mips_tools-1.0.pkg.

The following steps will install the development tools package:

(1) Download the pkg file from:
ftp://ftp.cobaltnet.com/pub/developer/Kernel/mips/All-Kernel_mips_tools-1.0.pkg
(2) Install the tools pkg normally using the Admin form on the Qube2

The following steps will install the portfwd program:

(1) Download the portfwd source from:
http://download.sourceforge.net/portfwd/portfwd-0.10.tar.gz
(2) Unpack the archive using:  "tar xvfz portfwd-0.10.tar.gz"
(3) Change to the resulting portfwd-0.10 directory and type: "make"
(4) Copy the compiled program (called "portfwd") to a suitable location
(e.g., /usr/local/sbin)
(5) Create a config file following the syntax given in the portfwd
readme
(6) Start the program by typing: "/usr/local/sbin/portfwd -c
<path_to_config_file>" (where "/usr/local/sbin/" is the path to where
you copied the portfwd program)

Testing your installation:

As described in the portfwd readme, a simple test config file containing
the line: "tcp { 10000 { => 127.0.0.1:23 } }" will forward tcp
connections at port 10000 to port 23 (the standard telnet port).  Thus,
if you start portfwd using this test file, you can see if the program is
working by typing: "telnet 127.0.0.1 10000".

Other tips on writing your config file can be obtained from the portfwd
readme file, or by looking through the numerous example config files
included with the program.