How to use linux machine as a full blown router?

I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure to
act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan routing, or
to act as a router between different subnets. We can't afford an expensive
dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead want to use a Linux box to
be used as a dedicated router to cater to our needs.
Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a couple of
service machines.

Any help will be appreciated.
Regards,
Abhinav.

On 2011-01-11, Abhinav Nishant <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure to
> act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan routing, or
> to act as a router between different subnets. We can't afford an expensive
> dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead want to use a Linux box to
> be used as a dedicated router to cater to our needs.
> Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a couple of
> service machines.
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
> Regards,
> Abhinav.
>
Any Linux box with 2 or more network interfaces can be used as a router.
There are certain distributions that meant for dedicated router/firewall use.


--
Heavier than air flying machines are impossible.
-- Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, c. 1895

On Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:14:26 +0530, Abhinav Nishant wrote:

> I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure
> to act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan
> routing, or to act as a router between different subnets. We can't
> afford an expensive dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead
> want to use a Linux box to be used as a dedicated router to cater to our
> needs. Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a
> couple of service machines.
>
> Any help will be appreciated.

http://www.ipcop.org/


--
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"Bother!" said Pooh, as he descended down into Shayol Ghul.
Usenet Improvement Project: http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/
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On Jan 11, 9:31*pm, Dan C <youmustbejok...@lan.invalid> wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:14:26 +0530, Abhinav Nishant wrote:
> > I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure
> > to act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan
> > routing, or to act as a router between different subnets. We can't
> > afford an expensive dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead
> > want to use a Linux box to be used as a dedicated router to cater to our
> > needs. Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a
> > couple of service machines.
>
> > Any help will be appreciated.
>
> http://www.ipcop.org/
>
> --
> "Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
> "Bother!" said Pooh, as he descended down into Shayol Ghul.
> Usenet Improvement Project:http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/
> Thanks, Obama:http://brandybuck.site40.net/pics/politica/thanks.jpg

According to that site, development on ipcop stopped 30 months ago. A
pity.

On Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:47:23 -0800, Vlad_Inhaler wrote:

> On Jan 11, 9:31Â*pm, Dan C <youmustbejok...@lan.invalid> wrote:
>> On Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:14:26 +0530, Abhinav Nishant wrote:
>> > I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's
>> > infrastructure to act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of
>> > inter vlan routing, or to act as a router between different subnets.
>> > We can't afford an expensive dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers,
>> > and instead want to use a Linux box to be used as a dedicated router
>> > to cater to our needs. Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70
>> > workstations and a couple of service machines.
>>
>> > Any help will be appreciated.
>>
>> http://www.ipcop.org/

> According to that site, development on ipcop stopped 30 months ago. A
> pity.

True, but it's still a great solution, as-is. I have been using it as my
main home router for several years. Just an excellent product.

There are hints that it may come out of hibernation, as well.


--
"Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me".
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he shot another Spotted Owl.
Usenet Improvement Project: http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/
Thanks, Obama: http://brandybuck.site40.net/pics/politica/thanks.jpg

On 12/01/2011 11:48, Abhinav Nishant wrote:
> What I actually want to do is to set up an enterprise network for my
> team that mostly deals in development on Java and dot NET platform and I
> want to use a screened subnet as my firewall configuration. Are the
> Linux boxes set up on regular workstations/desktops enough to cater to
> 60-80 people?
> Most of the data is circulated within the network except for the
> internet traffic, mostly http traffic, which will need to go past the
> firewall.
> So is that fine idea to implement the design with a few Linux boxes
> working as a router, and a firewall?
>

If most of the traffic is internal in the network, and just a little is
going out, mostly as http for web access, then I should think a $30 home
router is powerful enough to do the job.


So the question then is what are you trying to do that is not catered
for by a simple device like that? It certainly is possible to use Linux
for routing and firewalling - many people do it. Some use
firewall-oriented distributions, others use standard general-purpose
distributions (the kernel is typically the same, so you get the same
capabilities - it's just a question of the interface software on top).
But it is pointless to spend the time learning about and configuring
such a machine if a cheap off-the-shelf device will do the job.




> Regards,
> Abhinav
>
>
> "Abhinav Nishant" wrote in message
> news:igi8a0$u7u$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure to
> act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan routing, or
> to act as a router between different subnets. We can't afford an expensive
> dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead want to use a Linux
> box to
> be used as a dedicated router to cater to our needs.
> Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a couple of
> service machines.
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
> Regards,
> Abhinav.
>
>

On Jan 11, 10:44*am, "Abhinav Nishant" <abhinav.nish...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure to
> act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan routing, or
> to act as a router between different subnets. We can't afford an expensive
> dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead want to use a Linux boxto
> be used as a dedicated router to cater to our needs.
> Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a couple of
> service machines.

I know a little blade in a datacenter that runs Linux -- 2.8GHz
Pentium D CPU, 768MB of RAM. It's the production firewall for one end
of a link that provides Internet access for a network used by
thousands of people at a time and that also runs dozens of web, mail,
and other servers. It can handle a continuous stream of over 100Mbps
(GE in, GE out) with 100,000 tracked TCP connections. The limiting
factor seems to be the interrupt rate, which may be due to the
particular choice of network cards.

DS

Vlad_Inhaler wrote:

> On Jan 11, 9:31 pm, Dan C <youmustbejok...@lan.invalid> wrote:
>> On Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:14:26 +0530, Abhinav Nishant wrote:
>> > I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure
>> > to act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan
>> > routing, or to act as a router between different subnets. We can't
>> > afford an expensive dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead
>> > want to use a Linux box to be used as a dedicated router to cater to
>> > our needs. Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a
>> > couple of service machines.
>>
>> > Any help will be appreciated.
>>
>> http://www.ipcop.org/
>>

> According to that site, development on ipcop stopped 30 months ago. A
> pity.

Try smoothwall, it's what ipcop forked from years ago

--
sid
RLU 300284
2010.2

On Jan 11, 12:44*pm, "Abhinav Nishant" <abhinav.nish...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> I want to deploy a Linux machine into my organization's infrastructure to
> act as a full-blown router, specifically capable of inter vlan routing, or
> to act as a router between different subnets. We can't afford an expensive
> dedicated machine e.g. Cisco routers, and instead want to use a Linux boxto
> be used as a dedicated router to cater to our needs.
> Our infrastructure consists of some 60-70 workstations and a couple of
> service machines.
>
> Any help will be appreciated.
> Regards,
> Abhinav.


The quickest and easiest way is this:

# echo 1 >> /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward

You can get a lot fancier than that, but that is Step Numero Uno.

-Ramon