Internet Sharing - Experts only plz

[Prince]

I want to know what is the best method of sharing the internet, so it is seemless. The ones I know are?

1) NAT [aka IP masquerading in *nix]
2) Proxy
3) IPTables [newer version of IPChains, linux only] (don't know anything about this one, can someone explain to me how this works?)


I am using NAT rite now (hardware router) and don't like it. Why I don't like it?
1) Gaming
2) MSN file transfer / voice problems
3) Running server in passive mode with DSL (hence dynamic IP)....I don't like updating my IP in my servers everyday*
4) Playing with ports mapping and opening specific port with "triggers" don't like that either. [This is SMC router specific, that only trigger ports opens other ports]


So considering what all I wrote above, what do u think is the best solution for me? Is uNAT out yet (which suppose to be the best method)?

 

[metalac]

I guess Proxy should be ok but you should use a powerfull machine to do that stuff. I have a router I built my self at home using SmoothWall and it's working wonderfully, since I got 100% full control over it.

 

[Garion]

Unless your ISP will give you enough IP's for all your computers, you HAVE to run NAT. That being said, I like the router-based implementations. Cleaner, and don't require a PC sucking down power 7X24X365. Not sure about the Linux solutions and how they compare, but I guarantee NAT is *far* more flexible than a proxy solution.

- G

 

[spidey07]

Best way is to have unique IP addresses like Garion suggested. Otherwise some form of Port Address Translation (PAT) which is used in the SOHO based routers works great.

Some application protocols simply will not work with NAT/PAT, hence the recommendation of unique IPs.

 

[Nothinman]

You either need real routable IPs for all your machines on the Internet connection or use NAT, not much choice. ipchains and iptables can do either, but won't fix your problems.

 

[Prince]

I find this really strange. So many genius brains in the world and 100% seemless internet sharing is not available. anyway, I guess I am going to have to stick with regular NAT routers. Which router is the best one to allow customization of SOHO while price is as less as possible?

 

[Abzstrak]

best bet is to build your own if U want the most options available

 

[Nothinman]

So many genius brains in the world and 100% seemless internet sharing is not available

It's because there are so many brain dead developers, the genius ones can't keep up writing work arounds. Anything that has to connect to your PC (i.e. the one behind the router) is screwed unless the protocol is understood by the NAT router, there are Linux kernels for some protocols but you'd have to look and see if what you need has one.

Because MSN, ICQ, IRC DCC, etc require the other side to connect back to you they'll never work 100% in a NAT environment. Until they redo the protocol with NAT in mind, you're screwed. Having said that, I can DCC recieve files just fine behind my NAT, I just can't send which is fine for me.

DirectPlay games are the worst, MS has a document on their support site with the list of ports you need to map to the gaming box, which is a hundred or more because it's a randomly chosen port. Some games, Q3A comes to mind since it's about all I play online, aren't stupid and work fine.

Port Mapping can be annoying, but you can't do much about it since you only have 1 Internet accessible IP.

 

[YoungFart]

Take a look at WebRamp.
It was recently purchased by Nokia, but they are linking to the new info.

 

[Thor86]

We cannot have 100% seamless internet connection sharing because that would mean for an unlimited number of IP addresses. Unfortunately, the physical number of IP addresses routable through the internet is not limitless at this time.