I would like to know how (if possible) to forward ports on mac os x. First, Here's an outline of my setup:
1) Beige G3 connected to the Internet downstairs
2) 2 blue and whites connected via a hub upstairs.
The Beige is running 10.3.9 client, the blue and whites are running 10.4.3, one client and one server.
What I'd like to do is to forward port 80 (to start with) to the lue and white running 10.4 server.
I'm gussing, due to UNIX's age and networking caperbilities that it'll have a command to do this, i've read the man page of ipfw but I odn't quite understand it. THeres a guide to doing it with server here:
http://www.cyberhq.nl/2005/06/30/port-forwarding-in-macos-x.html
but I cant install 10.4 server on the beige and so was wondering whether it'd be possible under 10.3.9 client??
Cheers,
Moros
What exactly is it that you're trying to do?
You want http requests to be forwarded to one of your blue & white powermacs. That much is clear. What is it, though, that you want to accomplish?
Are your computers sharing an internet connection and you want to run a web server on one of your machines? Are you trying to setup a little family intranet and you want one of your machines to be a server?
Are you using a dedicated router?
You should provide more details.
open
/Applications/Utilities/Terminal
type
man route
(just a place to start)
Or, if you're using a hardware router, don't even bother. Just open up your web browser, enter the IP address of your router (or domain name if your host files are properly configured and/or you're running DNS), and set your router to forward requests on port 80 to the IP address of the blue & white Mac you want to use.
Actually, if you *are* using your computers behind a hardware router, and you want to serve http to the Internet, you're going to have to set something up in your router anyway. Either you're going to have to make your B&W a demilitarized zone or you're going to have to open up the relevant ports. And, as you might imagine, if you do that, there'll be no need to configure your Macs to port forward.
good reason...
At the moment y website is hosted on the beige, which is also a little slow and short on disc space. As a result I'd like to have the site served on th Blue and White...
I guess the easiest way to go would just be to buy a router/modem thingy, but i don't have $60 to spend at the moment
Moros
If you don't mind my asking, how are you currently connecting your machines to the Internet? Do you have just your beige on the Internet? Or are you using a switch?
The Beige is connected to the internet via a USB modem, and using the sharing prefs sharing it over the inbuilt ethernet interface.
The Ethernet is connected to a hub, and then two other compters are connected to the hub.
I hope this makes my setup clear
Moros
How about just connecting the USB modem to one of the Blue & Whites then? Didn't you say that you wanted to eliminate your beige?
I didn't think that USB modems worked with the Mac. I've had both DSL and Cable broadband connections and none of them supported the Mac via USB.
Just out of curiousity, has anyone ever misspelled your name with an "n" as opposed to an "s"?
Yes, your setup is much more clear now.
I guess I could just move the modem upstairs, I guess I'll do that unitl i get a router
On the subject of the USB modem, it works actually pretty damn well. This is an ADSL connection with Tiscali, the best in the UK IMHO, as aladds will agree. I did have a PCI modem but due to the slow bus speed (I think) of the beige I only got 512Kbs instead of 1Mbs…
And, finally, so-far no one's mis-spelt my name, so don't be tempted to try!!
Moros
I wouldn't dream of it.
On a lighter note, I met a guy a couple of years ago who had the last name, Morone. We'd always "erroneously" forget to add the "e" at the end. 
Wait a minute! Am I missing something here?
The beige does not have any native USB ports. To add USB to a beige, you have to place a USB card in a PCI slot. Consequently, the bus speed of the beige would not vary between a USB modem connected via PCI-based USB card, and any other PCI card.
The PCI bus runs at the same constant speed, regardless of what is plugged into the PCI slots.
Anyway, I'm glad that you've solved your dilemma.
Extremely good point. I've no idea why the card was slower then, it said up to 8Mbs on the box...
Moros