BUBBA TWO does not connect over satellite link

[tomork]

Internet
MUX 172.20.165.1

LAN
IP 172.20.165.2 - 254
Gateway 172.20.165.1
Subnet 255.255.255.0
DHCP 172.20.165.33
DNS 172.20.165.33

I work on board a research vessel, where we have a DHCP enabled LAN with domain controller which is connected to Internet over a Sealink satellite link.
I want to connect BUBBA TWO as a firewall, and later add the Squid proxy server.
When I configure Bubba with automatic settings on LAN and WAN and then connect it between the MUX and the LAN, it will be accessible from any computer on my LAN, both from the Web interface, and from SSH (Putty).
But I can not ping the MUX, and also not access Internet. That is probably because the MUX does not have any DHCP function, and the WAN IP address and subnet values therefore are empty.

When I then manually enter IP 172.20.165.62 and subnet 255.255.255.0 in the Bubba WAN interface, I am able to download updates to Bubba, but I can still not ping the MUX, and also still not access Internet.

If I reboot Bubba with manually set WAN IP, and wan connection plugged in, I will not be able to access Bubba at all (no ping response, no web interface, no SSH login) UNTIL I disconnect the WAN cable for a few seconds, and then reconnect.

This indicates that I can not have the same IP range on LAN and WAN.
What do I do to fix this problem?
Is there another way to connect Bubba and still keep the firewall and proxy functions?

To test the box, I connected the WAN port to our LAN, and then connected a computer to the LAN port. Everything worked very well..........

PLEASE HELP ME SOMEONE.....!!

[Eek]

Hi

This indicates that I can not have the same IP range on LAN and WAN.
What do I do to fix this problem?
Is there another way to connect Bubba and still keep the firewall and proxy functions?

The Bubba2 acts as a NAT router and the LAN IP has to have a different range,
if you want to use the Bubba2 as your firewall.
You could use it as a proxy, but then you would have to enter the proxy settings manual or
configure your current firewall/gateway to route traffic through the Bubba proxy.

[tomork]

Hi,
Thanks for reply.
Is there no way to disable the NAT function in Bubba, so that I can use box as intended?

Regards,
tomork

[asparak]

Yes you can, by editing the dnsmasq config. I'd suggest reading the manual carefully, but you should be able to configure it to not use NAT.

[Eek]

Could you also say more about how you intend to use the Bubba?

[tomork]

Hi,

Could you also say more about how you intend to use the Bubba?

As mentioned in my firs post, I want to use the Bubba as firewall and (with Squid proxy installed) as a transparent proxy server. So I want all traffic to go through the Bubba, and the only way to do that is to connect it as a firewall/router/server.
Because our satellite connection is 256 kbits, and that bandwidth is shared between 8 landline phone lines and up to 30 simultaneus internet surfing computers, my idea is that a proxy will reduce the traffic over the link. (Because many users visit the same web pages, reading newspapers etc).

I was briefly reading the 17 pages dnsmasq helpfile, and I see there are lots of (to me) unfamiliar options.

regards,
tomork

[Eek]

If it is possible, the easiest way might just be, change the IP of the MUX and
placing the bubba beteen the MUX and the LAN switch.
If it is not possible then, change the DHCP server to change the default gateway to the IP of the bubba, so all traffic is routed through the bubba.
A remark concerning

my idea is that a proxy will reduce the traffic over the link. (Because many users visit the same web pages, reading newspapers etc).

Squid is a powerful proxy and caching, but this requires memory, of which the bubba does not have much.

[tomork]

It is not possible to change the IP of the MUX.
I was really hoping to avoid any changes in our LAN's IP-range as well, because many of our computers use fixed IP addresses due to their use as data-loggers and instrumentation computers.
So my question is still, if there is any possibility to use the same IP-range on both LAN and WAN.

regards,
tomork

[Eek]

Well the (transparant) proxy can be realized, just by putting the bubba on the LAN and to manual change the proxy settings in the browsers or by changing the default gateway in the DHCP to point to the bubba.

The firewall function I know in theory should work, because you can put the bubba between the MUX and the LAN switch and use ethernet switching to make the bubba work as a bridge in the network.
But I don't have enough networking experience to help you set that up.

[asparak]

One other option of course would be to just use the LAN port, set up custom profile and use route add -net to route all traffic over the one port. It'll halve your effective data throughput, but might help you in the short term.

Its a bit hack-ish, but hey - we are all geeks here

[rynmackz]

Yes you're right the using of proxy is one of the effective ways to connect over your satellite link. I tried this as BUBBA in my firewall. I'm glad it works now. Thanks for all the help here.