[lug] dumb q....echo 1?

[j davis]

hi,

so im rebulding my firwall with the help of the best iptables how
to i have ever read 
http://www.boingworld.com/workshops/linux/iptables-tutorial (thats quite a 
few now). Anyway in a example script
this is used

echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward

so i think the text "ip_forward" is being written to /proc/sys/net/ipv4..
what is the "1" for? Also proc is the ram right? could some one explain
why i have to do this and what is really happening when i do this...not just 
"uh,
thats how you start iptables"...like could some one tell me if im loading a 
module
into ram...and why i need the "1" after echo.

thanks for the help and yalls patients,
jd


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