[Novices] IPCOP firewall

[Imagineer66 at comcast.net]

The IPCOP firewall we installed last week worked too well...

Thanks to all who helped get it installed on the machine but I need some more help.  Here's the situation.

When we installed IPCOP at the New User's meeting, I only had one NIC installed, an Intel card. We made it the GREEN card. (We borrowed a second one from the club as the RED card to get IPCOP installed.)  Everything seemed to go well.  Last weekend, I installed the second NIC at home.  It was a Linksys card I bought from Staples.  IPCOP recognized the card as a Tulip6x24(something).  Seemed to work fine.  It connected to my ISP, Comcast Cable, just fine.  Got an address and all of the DNS, etc network information.  I can ping, traceroute, etc out just fine.

  Now that the RED side seemed to be working, I plugged the GREEN side into my router.  Here's where the trouble started.  IPCOP (also the machine name) wouldn't talk to ANYTHING on the green.  It wouldn't give out addresses, assign names, or even act like there was anything there.  I tried a different cable and a different router.  Same result.

Ok, the home network needed to be up so I disconnected IPCOP and reconnected the Linksys 54G router back as the connection between Comcast and the home network.  Now, the Linksys will talk to Comcast and it will assign local addresses.  Internal network communication works fine (ie, net printers, machine to machine)  but it won't let ANY traffic out.  AARRGGHH..  Ok, swap cables again.  Same problem.  Swap a brand-new 54G router in place. (I had bought it to tinker with its firmware but it was still in the box.)  Same results.

I've got two ideas (neither of which I am sure is anywhere close).  First, after activating the IPCOP machine with DNS, etc turned on, Comcast somehow freaked and closed our connection.  They say no but I've only been able to speak with their 800 Call Center and not with anyone local.  Second, possibly, somehow the cable modem got messed up.  It's the ONLY piece of network equipment that hasn't been completely swapped out with new. I tend to doubt this one because the routers can get DNS info from outside but who knows..

HELP!!!!  :)
Thanks in Advance,
Mark

PS.  Oh, BTW, my email doesn't work either, so I'm typing this via web interface at the local public library.  Needless to say, I desperately need help but I may be slow in responding electronically.

PSS.  I'm not asking for a call but if anyone has a solution, it might be easier to reach me at (269) 274-3437.
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