FastFwD

FastFwD is a handy network daemon that lets you forward connections from one port to another. It works both ways, which makes it feel like a direct connection for the app you're using.

What Does FastFwD Do?

Basically, FastFwD does what you can achieve with ipchains or iptables port forwarding rules. If you're familiar with ipchains, you might want to stick with those. But if you're not too experienced or don't use ipchains often, FastFwD is just right for you!

Why Choose FastFwD?

• Easy to set up: Configuring FastFwD is straightforward.


• No confusing settings: Forget about complicated configuration parameters!


• No worries about system lockouts: You won't accidentally block your whole system over a tiny mistake in your ipchains rules.

Compatibility and Setup

This tool has been tested on Linux and QNX™ but should work well on other POSIX operating systems too. To get started, open a console and head to where you've saved the downloaded archive. Then run these commands:

bzip2 -d fastfwd-*.tar.bz2

  tar -xvf fastfwd-*.tar

You'll find a new directory named fastfwd-* containing all the necessary files. To build the sources, switch to that directory and execute:

make

If you're using QNX™, type this instead:

make -f Makefile.QNX

Please remember: you need to have the make-toolchain and either gcc or qcc installed on your system.

Configuration Made Easy

You can configure FastFwD through the fastfwd.conf file located in /etc. An example file comes with the source archive, and it's just a plain text file filled with parameters (and comments starting with "#") that are ignored. Here are some of the key settings you can adjust:

• User ID (uid): This sets which user's limited privileges will run the application.


• Demon Mode (daemon): This decides if it runs in foreground (daemon=0) or background (daemon=1).


• Source IP (srcip): The IP address for incoming applications; typically set to 0.0.0.0 for listening on all available IPs.


• Source Port (srcport): The port number; if already in use, the app exits during startup.


• Target IP & Port (trgtip/trgport): The destination where connections will be forwarded.


• Authentication Key (authkey): A key used for security; disable by adding a '#' before it!