How to install Linux IPCop firewall

Protecting the corporate network through a reasonable firewall is essential. Such solutions are often quite expensive. The latter must, however, are not suitable for use in medium-sized enterprises, small offices or home users. Free programs have grown in recent years and provide for them, all functions. Free solutions are also in larger firms no longer a rarity. In the Linux sector there are some good solutions that I can download and install for free. ;) One solution for that is Linux distribution IPCop. But I don't know how to put it on the distribution and administration. So thought that you guys will tell me something about the installation process.

The installation is made on a current computer in less than ten minutes. However, you should take the warning seriously, the first boot screen. IPCop actually grabs the entire hard disk and partition it again. That means in plain English, that all previous data is lost on that partition. Might be a good idea, the distribution is first test run on a separate test computer or virtual instance. If you observe problems during installation, please contact the boot options. After the language, you can choose the installation media. Version 1.4.20 can import either via CD-ROM drive or USB device. Should not both be present, there is the possibility of an installation using HTTP or FTP. Instead of a complete new installation, you can also use a backup import. It is conceivable this if you want to move IPCop to another computer or after a complete hard disk failure. You can backup to a floppy disk, a USB mass storage, or provide via HTTP / FTP. For initial installation logically skip this option.

After doing the installation, later step is installing the network card detection and configuration. As long as no exotic Ethernet hardware is used IPCop recognizes the card automatically. At this point it makes sense to go into detail on the interface names of IPCop. IPCop provides four interfaces are available: RED, GREEN, ORANGE and BLUE. RED regulates the connection to the outside. This can be an Internet access via ISDN, DSL modem or an Ethernet connection or be in a different network . The chart below helps you understand the various interfaces. GREEN is behind the protected network. This interface is mandatory for installation. Do you have servers or computers that require a direct connection to the Internet, then attach it to the DMZ interface ORANGE. ORANGE computer without access to the interfaces GREEN or BLUE, unless you configure a so-called "DMZ pinholes". The interface BLUE have provided the developer for additional access points.

If the network card detected, you must first configure the interface GREEN, ie an IP address and assign a subnet mask. After this step, the installation routine prompts you to remove disks and CDs from the computer. With a confirmation IPCop now calls for the setup program to configure additional network interfaces. Before you ask, however, still keyboard layout, timezone, hostname and domain name field. Next, you have the ability to enable ISDN. The sample configuration waived ISDN, accordingly, the option was disabled. After that, it is advisable to decide to show which interfaces the operating system as. The following example scenario illustrates a possible configuration. The computer has two network cards. One of these must be assigned GREEN interface and receives the IP address 192.168.0.1. The interface RED is also an Ethernet card, this is replaced by IP address, DNS - Server and Gateway settings from an external DHCP server.

The selection of type of network configuration falls on GREEN + RED. Now you have the menu option Drivers and card assignment, the remaining network interface card of the RED map. In the address settings you configure it now, is to relate how RED an IP address. DNS and gateway settings using IPCop only if RED interface uses a DHCP server. Should IPCop for the protected network at the same time the DHCP server to deploy, configure it in the next screen. In order to leave leeway for fixed IP addresses, you can specify a start and an end address for the dynamic IP addresses. However, it is thus only define an address range.