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SmoothWall Linux
Frequently Asked Questions
By Jon Fautley and Tom Ellis

This is the FAQ For SmoothWall version 0.9.2, but should be valid for most
versions.

Q: What is SmoothWall?

A: SmoothWall is a self-contained, stripped down Linux distribution for
providing Internet access via modem, and eventually ISDN and cable to a
LAN through IP masquarade.

SmoothWall is currently only supported by modems, but others are currently
under development and we welcome your input as always. The definition of
modem includes external ISDN TA's which by definition use serial
connectivity and therefore can be utilised by SmoothWall.

Q: How many users does SmoothWall have?

A: To date, we have over 4700 users worldwide in every corner of the
globe. We envisage this growing to around 90,000 within 4-6 weeks
immediately

Q: How much does SmoothWall cost?

A: Nothing. SmoothWall is released under the GNU Public License. If you
really want to donate money to us, then send it to a better cause, either
someone like the Linux Professional Institute (www.lpi.org) or a medical
research charity. There are organisations out there that need it far more
than we do...

Q: What distribution was SmoothWall based on?

A: The base system files are from VA-Linux 6.2.1 (which is more or less
RedHat 6.2). This is NOT a VA Linux product. This means if you want to
include your own custom changes you can use RedHat 6.2 components. RPM is
not supported though, owing to the overhead.

Q: How do I install SmoothWall?

A: There is a seperate document, the SmoothWall-Install-Guide. Please
refer to that for install information.

Q: Do I need to wipe my hard drive before installing SmoothWall?

A: When installing SmoothWall, it will erase all existing data on your first
harddisk (usually /dev/hda or your C: drive under DOS/Windows, but the
install program will search for your first harddisk). The install program
will not touch any data on the second/third or any SCSI harddrives in your
system. You can only currently only install SmoothWall on the first
harddrive in your system.

Q: What are the minimum and recommended requirements for SmoothWall?

A: The minimum specification for SmoothWall is a 386 with 8 meg of memory
and a 100Mb IDE harddisk. The lowest tested specification is a 486DX4 with
8Mb of RAM. 16 meg of RAM is recommended.

Q: What hardware is supported under SmoothWall?

A: Smoothwall will run on any Intel i386 compatible PC, with a minimum of
8Mb of RAM and a 100Mb IDE harddisk. Currently there is no support for
SCSI devices. All IDE/ATAPI CDRom drives are supported, as are all of the
'old style' drives, i.e. SoundBlaster. All Hayes-Compatible external
modems and HARDWAREinternal modems are supported. If your modem is
external, it's unlikely (almost 100% unlikely) that it's not a Hayes
Compatible modem. If it is internal, it needs to be a 'hardware' modem,
not a software, or 'WinModem'.

Q: Who is involved in SmoothWall?

A: SmoothWall is based on an idea by Richard Morrell
<rmorrell@valinux.com> and Lawrence Manning <lawrence@aslak.demon.co.uk>.
There are currently 5 developers on the SmoothWall team. The full list of
developers can be found at:
http://sourceforge.net/project/memberlist.php?group_id=10366

Q: Is there a SmoothWall mailing list I can join?

A: Yes. There are currently two mailing lists available. These are:
 * Smoothwall-announce - A moderated list where the developers will
announce new versions,
   bugs, and anything else to do with the SmoothWall project.

 * Smoothwall-talk - This is a public list, basically a general chat list
about SmoothWall.
   You can ask questions here, post bugs/ideas etc.

Both lists are monitored by the developers. The administrator for both the
lists is Jon Fautley <filbert@webbedmail.com> To subscribe, please goto:
<http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/smoothwall-talk> or
<http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/smoothwall-announce> and
type your email address into the box.

Q: Is SmoothWall only suitable for home users with temporary internet
connections, or can it be used on servers which are permantly connected to
the internet?

A: SmoothWall can be used on permanantly connected servers, in theory. As
it currently only supports Modems's it cannot be used with leased lines or
the like. In the future, SmoothWall will support ISDN (Single and Dual
Channel) and other types of connection to the internet once we get
funding/sponsorship/assistance.

Q: What is the latest SmoothWall release?

A: As of writing (17/09/00), the latest SmoothWall release is 0.9.4.

Q: What security precautions does Smoothwall include?

A: Smoothwall only runs telnet, ftp, http, dhcp and a DNS proxy. There is
nothing open to the internet - a full portscan reveals nothing open. This
is secure. Also, all access to ports below 1024 are blocked and logged in
the system log. This allows you to detect if you are being scanned for
holes, and will block all attempts to gain access into your network. The
blocking is done by IPChains, so there is no way a connection can get
through below port 1024, even if there is a service running on it. It is
possible to run your own serivices on the SmoothWall box, but unless you
want to modify the IPChains rules noone on the Internet will be able to
access them.

Q: Can I install direct from the internet, or do I need to burn a CD?

A: At present, you cannot install from the internet, unless you are able
to host the file somewhere, as for network install. We do not currently
have a site for network installing. You can set up internet installs, as
for the network install, but you have to remember that DNS is not
supported. You'r much better off with a CD or network install, as it's
faster.

Q: Where can I find answers to questions not answered here?

A: For general help and enquiries there are the mailing lists, and all the
developers monitor this. For more specific enquiries, you can email one of
the developers. Their addresses are on the developers listing
(http://sourceforge.net/project/memberlist.php?group_id=10366). Feel free
to email us and ask any questions.
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