shorewall_code/STABLE/documentation/support.htm
2002-12-28 15:38:03 +00:00

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<h1 align="center"><font color="#ffffff">Shorewall Support<img
src="images/obrasinf.gif" alt="" width="90" height="90" align="middle">
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<p> <br>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>
<h2><big><font color="#ff0000"><b>I don't look at problems sent to me directly
but I try to spend some amount of time each day responding to problems
posted on the Shorewall mailing list.</b></font></big></h2>
<h2 align="center"><big><font color="#ff0000"><b>-Tom</b></font></big></h2>
<h2>Before Reporting a Problem</h2>
<h3>T<b>here are a number of sources for problem solution information. Please
try these before you post.</b></h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>The <a href="FAQ.htm">FAQ</a> has solutions to more than 20 common
problems.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>The <a href="troubleshoot.htm">Troubleshooting</a> Information
contains a number of tips to help you solve common problems.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>The <a href="errata.htm"> Errata</a> has links to download
updated components.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>The Mailing List Archives search facility can locate posts
about similar problems:</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h2> </h2>
<h2>Mailing List Archive Search</h2>
<form method="post" action="http://www.shorewall.net/cgi-bin/htsearch">
<p> <font size="-1"> Match:
<select name="method">
<option value="and">All </option>
<option value="or">Any </option>
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Format:
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<option value="builtin-long">Long </option>
<option value="builtin-short">Short </option>
</select>
Sort by:
<select name="sort">
<option value="score">Score </option>
<option value="time">Time </option>
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<option value="revtitle">Reverse Title </option>
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value="htdig"> <input type="hidden" name="restrict"
value="[http://www.shorewall.net/pipermail/.*]"> <input type="hidden"
name="exclude" value=""> <br>
Search: <input type="text" size="30" name="words"
value=""> <input type="submit" value="Search"> </p>
</form>
<h2>Problem Reporting Guidelines</h2>
<i>"Let me see if I can translate your message into a real-world example.<2E>
It would be like saying that you have three rooms at home, and when you
walk into one of the rooms, you detect this strange smell.<2E> Can anyone tell
you what that strange smell is?<br>
<br>
Now, all of us could do some wonderful guessing as to the smell and even
what's causing it.<2E> You would be absolutely amazed at the range and variety
of smells we could come up with.<2E> Even more amazing is that all of the explanations
for the smells would be completely plausible."<br>
</i><br>
<div align="center"><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> - Russell Mosemann<br>
</div>
<br>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>When reporting a problem, give as much information as you can.
Reports that say "I tried XYZ and it didn't work" are not at all helpful.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>Please don't describe your environment and then ask us to send
you custom configuration files. We're here to answer your
questions but we can't do your job for you.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>Do you see any "Shorewall" messages in /var/log/messages
when you exercise the function that is giving you problems?</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>Have you looked at the packet flow with a tool like tcpdump
to try to understand what is going on?</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>Have you tried using the diagnostic capabilities of the
application that isn't working? For example, if "ssh" isn't able
to connect, using the "-v" option gives you a lot of valuable diagnostic
information.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>Please include any of the Shorewall configuration files (especially
the /etc/shorewall/hosts file if you have modified that file)
that you think are relevant.</b></h3>
</li>
<li>
<h3><b>If an error occurs when you try to "shorewall start", include
a trace (See the <a href="troubleshoot.htm">Troubleshooting</a> section
for instructions).</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<ul>
<li>
<h3><b>The list server limits posts to 120kb so don't post GIFs of
your network layout, etc to the Mailing List -- your post
will be rejected.</b></h3>
</li>
</ul>
<h3> </h3>
<h2>Please post in plain text</h2>
<blockquote>
<h3><b> While the list server here at shorewall.net accepts and distributes
HTML posts, a growing number of MTAs serving list subscribers are rejecting
this HTML list traffic. At least one MTA has gone so far as to blacklist
shorewall.net "for continuous abuse"!!</b></h3>
<h3><b> I think that blocking all HTML is a rather draconian way to control
spam and that the unltimate loser here is not the spammers but the list subscribers
whose MTAs are bouncing all shorewall.net mail. Nevertheless, all of you can
help by restricting your list posts to plain text.</b></h3>
<h3><b> And as a bonus, subscribers who use email clients like pine and
mutt will be able to read your plain text posts whereas they are most likely
simply ignoring your HTML posts.</b></h3>
<h3><b> A final bonus for the use of HTML is that it cuts down the size
of messages by a large percentage -- that is important when the same message
must be sent 500 times over the slow DSL line connecting the list server
to the internet.</b> </h3>
</blockquote>
<h2>Where to Send your Problem Report or to Ask for Help</h2>
<h3></h3>
<blockquote>
<h4>If you run Shorewall under Bering -- <span
style="font-weight: 400;">please post your question or problem
to the <a href="mailto:leaf-user@lists.sourceforge.net">LEAF Users mailing
list</a>.</span></h4>
<p>Otherwise, please post your question or problem to the <a
href="mailto:shorewall-users@shorewall.net">Shorewall users mailing list.</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p align="center"><big><font color="#ff0000"><b></b></font></big></p>
<p>To Subscribe to the mailing list go to <a
href="http://www.shorewall.net/mailman/listinfo/shorewall-users">http://www.shorewall.net/mailman/listinfo/shorewall-users</a>
.</p>
<p align="left"><font size="2">Last Updated 12/27/2002 - Tom Eastep</font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Trebuchet MS"><a href="copyright.htm"> <font
size="2">Copyright</font> <20> <font size="2">2001, 2002 Thomas M. Eastep.</font></a></font><br>
</p>
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