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 \-------------------------------------------