Linux Internet Gateway prevens actions on other computers.. how to fix?

[Captain Penguin]

I have a p100 running as a internet sharing gateway, running mandrake 8.0, to share to 3 computers all running some form of Windows. (win2k and win98se).

In Aol Instant Messenger, I am unable to connect to many people for image and file sending becuase of this "firewall"! (although some people I can still send to).

How the heck can I fix this? it's fecking pissing me off!

Thanks for any help.

[FallNAngel]

hmm, that's a good question. I honestly still haven't found that out, because I'm not sure what ports it uses. I wonder if it would be possible to go onto a windows machine and try to directly connect to someone via AIM, then check netstat -A to see what port it's trying to connect to. Then just open that port. It might work.

[wreckd]

i have a comment then a question:

comment:
i know this isn't what anyone wants to hear but openbsd rocks as a firewall. i've never had these kinds of problems, all connections started from inside get tracked so they can do their business. if i start gaim it is allowed to connect to the server and then is allowed to open ports for file transfer. scans still show no ports open besides mail/ssh/www/finger and whatever else i allowed. port redirection is simple and the syntax of it all is easily readable.

question:
since you're running mandrake 8 does that not use a 2.4+ kernel? i thought the biggest deal about 2.4 was the introduction of a stateful firewall - iptables. state is how openbsd has the flexability it does without needing modules (like ipchains has) for quake, aim, icq, whatever...

maybe you have to enable stateful firewalling. anyone knowledgeable enough on this to explain?

[wreckd]

oh and the other thing. i was kinda doubting that opening the port it used once is the solution. i would imagine it chooses some random-ish port.

[Captain Penguin]

Originally posted by wreckd:
<STRONG>i have a comment then a question:

comment:
i know this isn't what anyone wants to hear but openbsd rocks as a firewall. i've never had these kinds of problems, all connections started from inside get tracked so they can do their business. if i start gaim it is allowed to connect to the server and then is allowed to open ports for file transfer. scans still show no ports open besides mail/ssh/www/finger and whatever else i allowed. port redirection is simple and the syntax of it all is easily readable.

question:
since you're running mandrake 8 does that not use a 2.4+ kernel? i thought the biggest deal about 2.4 was the introduction of a stateful firewall - iptables. state is how openbsd has the flexability it does without needing modules (like ipchains has) for quake, aim, icq, whatever...

maybe you have to enable stateful firewalling. anyone knowledgeable enough on this to explain?</STRONG>

If you'd be willing to help me setup OpenBSD I'd gladly give it a shot ;). The only reason I use Mandrake 8.0 is becuase it automatically detects and installs both NICS at the same time, and automatically configures ICS. Other distros I've tried I wasn't able to get BOTH nics detected and installed...