Strange Linux <-> Windows Connectivity Problem

Hello,

I have a very strange problem on my home network. The setup is:

Linux 2.2.17 Firewall/Gateway (ipchains): fw-old
Linux 2.4.22 Firewall/Gateway (iptables) : fw-new

Several Windows 2000 and one Windows 98 (not 2nd Edition)-Boxes
attached to the same switch and the same subnet.

I build a new server (fw-new) with iptables to replace the old one.
The iptable-Rules were setup with Shorewall. A test run with my
Windows 2000-Clients was successful, everything runs fine. So I
completely replaced the old-fw, and was happy. However, I have serious
problems connecting the only Windows98 Box: And here is what happens:

Pinging to the Internet and to fw-new runs fine (ICMP in general).
UDP Packets (e.g. DNS) too, but TCP-Connections are broken. When I
switch back to the old-fw everything runs fine.

For debugging purposes I changed the setup as follows: fw-new is now
just a router and forwards all packets to fw-old, which is connected
to the internet (and does NAT/Masquerading). The gateway for the
clients is fw-new and the Win98-Box is happy with that. With this
setup packets from the Win98-Box first traverse fw-new and go to
fw-old and this works fine.

But when I connect directly to fw-new TCP connections are nevertheless
broken (UDP and ICMP are again working). Here is what an ethereal dump
shows for trying SSH to fw-new:

*SSH:

8.842311 win98.lan.net -> fw-new.lan.net TCP 1030 > ssh [SYN]
Seq=437821 Ack=0 Win=8192 Len=0 MSS=1460
8.842462 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP ssh > 1030 [SYN, ACK]
Seq=1727914751 Ack=437822 Win=5840 Len=0 MSS=
1460
12.239438 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP ssh > 1030 [SYN, ACK]
Seq=1727914751 Ack=437822 Win=5840 Len=0 MSS=
1460
18.239433 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP ssh > 1030 [SYN, ACK]
Seq=1727914751 Ack=437822 Win=5840 Len=0 MSS=
1460
....

The connection is initiated, and the server correctly sends an ACK.
And then our Win98-Box sleeps....

*HTTP:

0.439298 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 200 OK
1.416402 win98.lan.net -> fw-new.lan.net TCP 1039 > www [SYN]
Seq=503546 Ack=0 Win=8192 Len=0 MSS=1460
1.416473 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP www > 1039 [SYN, ACK]
Seq=1798673511 Ack=503547 Win=5840 Len=0 MSS=
1460
1.428368 win98.lan.net -> fw-new.lan.net HTTP GET
/manual/index.html.de HTTP/1.1
1.428459 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP www > 1039 [ACK]
Seq=1798673512 Ack=504089 Win=6504 Len=0
1.429367 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
1.429409 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP Continuation
1.959009 win98.lan.net -> fw-new.lan.net TCP 1040 > www [SYN]
Seq=504088 Ack=0 Win=8192 Len=0 MSS=1460
1.959077 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP www > 1040 [SYN, ACK]
Seq=1796380650 Ack=504089 Win=5840 Len=0 MSS=
1460
1.960206 win98.lan.net -> fw-new.lan.net HTTP GET
/manual/style/css/manual.css HTTP/1.1
1.960281 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net TCP www > 1040 [ACK]
Seq=1796380651 Ack=504574 Win=6432 Len=0
1.961134 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
1.961189 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP Continuation
4.429294 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
4.959290 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
10.429291 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
10.959285 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 206 Partial
Content
11.879277 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 200 OK
12.439301 fw-new.lan.net -> win98.lan.net HTTP HTTP/1.1 200 OK

When requesting a site, the request times out.

Weird, isn´t it? And no, the firewall doesn´t block TCP Connections,
it is wide open (Rules flushed/Policies accept) for this testing.
Using iptables 1.2.8 on Debian/woody.

I would be very thankful, if someone could give me a hint.

Greetings,
Marcin Davies

"Marcin Davies" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello,
>
> I have a very strange problem on my home network. The setup is:
>
> Linux 2.2.17 Firewall/Gateway (ipchains): fw-old
> Linux 2.4.22 Firewall/Gateway (iptables) : fw-new
>
> Several Windows 2000 and one Windows 98 (not 2nd Edition)-Boxes
> attached to the same switch and the same subnet.
>
> I build a new server (fw-new) with iptables to replace the old one.
> The iptable-Rules were setup with Shorewall. A test run with my
> Windows 2000-Clients was successful, everything runs fine. So I
> completely replaced the old-fw, and was happy. However, I have serious
> problems connecting the only Windows98 Box: And here is what happens:
>
> Pinging to the Internet and to fw-new runs fine (ICMP in general).
> UDP Packets (e.g. DNS) too, but TCP-Connections are broken. When I
> switch back to the old-fw everything runs fine.

[snip]

Please post the iptables ruleset from your 2.4 box, and also check if your
Win98 box is using a dynamic or fixed IP address. Go to a command prompt and
run "WINIPCFG" on the Win98 box, and note the current IP address shown
there: pass that along as well.

HTH.

Bill

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 20:07:17 GMT, "William Warren"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Please post the iptables ruleset from your 2.4 box

I wrote:
>>...it is wide open (Rules flushed/Policies accept) for this testing.

> and also check if your
>Win98 box is using a dynamic or fixed IP address.

Don´t know, why this should be important. Currently a dynamic IP
address from a DHCP-Server. I also assigned a static IP-Adress with no
effect.

>Go to a command prompt and
>run "WINIPCFG" on the Win98 box, and note the current IP address shown
>there: pass that along as well.

If you want that detail: Both machines have rfc1918 (private) IP
addresses:

fw-new: 192.168.7.2/255.255.255.0
win98: 192.168.7.3/255.255.255.0

>HTH.

No, but thanks for your reply.

Marcin Davies

"Marcin Davies" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 20:07:17 GMT, "William Warren"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Please post the iptables ruleset from your 2.4 box
>
> I wrote:
> >>...it is wide open (Rules flushed/Policies accept) for this testing.

I understand, but sometimes those new to iptables confuse the "input" or
"output" with the "forward" chain, so I asked anyway.

> > and also check if your
> >Win98 box is using a dynamic or fixed IP address.
>
> Don´t know, why this should be important. Currently a dynamic IP
> address from a DHCP-Server. I also assigned a static IP-Adress with no
> effect.
>
> >Go to a command prompt and
> >run "WINIPCFG" on the Win98 box, and note the current IP address shown
> >there: pass that along as well.
>
> If you want that detail: Both machines have rfc1918 (private) IP
> addresses:
>
> fw-new: 192.168.7.2/255.255.255.0
> win98: 192.168.7.3/255.255.255.0
>
> >HTH.
>
> No, but thanks for your reply.
>
> Marcin Davies
>

Sorry if I seemed obtuse: I had thought that your new linux box might have a
fly in its DHCP ointment, and that the Win98 box might have self-configured
an APIPA address.

William