Connecting 2 laptops together, 1 laptop running IPFire

Hi, I am brand new to IPFire and learned how to install IPFire succesfully but I have a few related questions.

I have 2 identical laptops each with wifi and Ethernet and I would like to run IPfire on 1 laptop and have it act as firewall for the other laptop.

On 1 laptop I have installed IPFire with red zone using wifi adapter and green zone using ethernet adapter.

I would like to connect the two laptops via Ethernet.

A) How do I physically connect the 2 laptops over Ethernet?

I have been searching about this and have found different answers:

  1. With just a straight-thru (not crossover ethernet cable) - ie just plug the cable into each laptop’s ethernet port
  2. With just a crossover ethernet cable - ie just plug the cable into each laptop’s ethernet port
  3. With 2 cables and an Ethernet hub

So I am really not sure what to do here. Any help is appreciated.

B) I need to enter the red zone wifi ssid and password and I did not see this in the install of IPFire. Is that done in the IPFire web interface?

Or please let me know if my desired setup is not possible lol…

Thanks ahead of time…

It looks like this is Possible.

Nic to Nic should work with a strait or crossover cable.
On more modern nic’s will auto negotiate

3 Likes

Hey Shaun HVAC - the straight thru cable works just like you said it would. I was not aware that modern NICs could handle this. So this allowed me to get my 2 computers talking.
Then I read the Wireless Client page that you pointed out and this allowed me to get my RED wifi working.
And this in turn allowed me to have it all working!
So both your answers were very helpful to me!
Thanks very much!

Glad I could Help.