Battlefield 2 - Linux Server

[graza]

I'm wanting to set up a Battlefield 2 Linux Server. My question regards the architecture I go for.

I currently have cable internet going into my SuSE 8.2 Pentium 2 256Mb box. This acts as a firewall/router for the rest of my home network (I use SuSE firewall).

I am getting my hands on a better spec box (not sure what exactly but it's something like a Pentium 3 with a gig of RAM). I plan to put Gentoo on the new box and install Battlefield 2 Server.

Option a) - My first thought was to put the new Gentoo BF2 Server box in place of the old SuSE box, and get a firewall setup on it (iptables).

Option b) - I then saw something in the BF2 instructions advising against running BF2 Server on boxes running a software firewall. This makes me think of keeping the SuSE box in place and reconfiguring the SuSE firewall to direct BF2 traffic to the new Gentoo BF2 Server box.

Any thoughts ?? Apologies in advance if the gaming forum is not the correct one to use for this ! Thanks.

[Icarus]

I would go with option B and keep the firewall/router in place and add the server as a new box within the network and forward any ports needed.

[graza]

I would go with option B and keep the firewall/router in place and add the server as a new box within the network and forward any ports needed.

Just curious - any particular reason ? Is it so the new BF2 Server box is running the bare minimum amount of processes, therefore giving the BF2 Server process the best performance possible ?

[cybertron]

That would be part of it, but from what I understand it's also best to have a little as possible running on a firewall so there are as few potential intrusion points as possible.