[TriLUG] Linode question

[Joseph Mack NA3T via TriLUG]

I'm currently setting up a server on Amazon Lightsail ($5/mo, cheapest server), 
which is turning out to be a pain and I'm wondering if Linode has similar 
problems.

The customer needs all his packets coming from the same IP, so I'm setting up 
openvpn with a static IP on the virtual machine. (I have openvpn running at 
home, so I'm familiar with it and can openvpn into my home network from a laptop 
running outside.)

(I wanted to try Linode first, but the client is a manager and he's heard of 
Amazon, but doesn't know what Linux is. So he wanted Amazon. It's the "no one 
ever was fired for buying IBM" problem. I thought well linux is linux, what can 
they do to it? I was wrong.)

One problem is that lightsail blocks ICMP, as a security feature (thank you 
amazon), so I can't ping or traceroute to or from the Lightsail server.

A mild problem is that I can't see the static IP with ifconfig. All I see is a 
172.26.x.x address. I assume I'm being NAT'ed, but I can't check, at least with 
traceroute.

All ports except 22 are blocked. You turn ports on with a gui. According to the 
gui, I have 1194 (for openvpn) open. iptables shows no rules running, but then 
I'm only seeing what's on the 172.26.x.x address,

With so many things turned off, I don't have much control of the server. It 
feels like I'm running it by laparoscopy with my eyes shut.

The problem is that I have an openvpn connection to the amazon server, but that 
openvpn'ed packets, from my laptop at home, can't get beyond the amazon server 
out to the internet. With so many things turned off it's hard to diagnose the 
problem.

My question for the list then is: Is the virtual machine you get for $5/mo with 
Linode a fully functioning machine, or does it have training wheels like the 
Lightsail machine?

eg with the $5/mo Linode can I ping and traceroute? can I see if ports are 
blocked with something like iptables?

Thanks Joe

-- 
Joseph Mack NA3T EME(B,D), FM05lw North Carolina
jmack (at) austintek (dot) com - azimuthal equidistant
map generator at http://www.wm7d.net/azproj.shtml
Homepage http://www.austintek.com/ It's GNU/Linux!