Newbie firewall/masqarade/proxy confusion

[Alan Dayley]

I confess to being a MS user for, low, many years.  I am now
coming into the Linux light!  It is making computer exciting
again.

I am scheduled to get DSL with a static IP in a week or two.
As a first Linux learning experience, I have setup an old 100MHz
486 PC, 32MB RAM, 1.5GB hard disk space, 2 16-bit Intel network
cards, VGA, mouse, blah, blah... with RedHat 6.2.  X still does
not work but that is not important now.  My intention is to have
this little PC be a firewall for my other computers to share the
DSL connection.

My confusion is this:  I am finding in my readings that what I
thought was a firewall maybe something more.  I am still trying
to understand the differences between the terms firewall,
masqarading, routing and proxy server.  Maybe the confusion is
from the fact that configuring TCP/IP is still a new thing to me
along with Linux.

What I want to make is my Linux box providing a single "presence"
to the internet while the workstations "behind" the Linux box can
surf and do email without being "visible" to the internet.  What
combination of firewall/masqarade/proxy stuff do I need?

Remember, I am a newbie, be kind.

Alan

/------------------------------------------
|Alan Dayley             www.adtron.com
|Software Engineer       602-735-0300 x331
|ADayley@adtron.com
|
|Adtron Corporation         
|3710 E. University Drive, Suite 5
|Phoenix, AZ  85034
\-------------------------------------------