ip masquerading on debian slink

[Brad Reid <umreidbj@cc.UManitoba.CA>]

hello i've got a LAN setup and would like a linux box on it to be a
gateway.  the LAN works fine but it is a class C network and i would
like to enable ip masquerading on the linux box (debian slink).
i'm having two problems:
  1. debian distributions don't compile ip masquerading into the kernel,
right?????
  2. kernel compile problems.

problem 1: decoding an error message generated while trying to enable ip
masquerading on kernel without ip masquerading enabled.
  error messages:
# ipchains -F input
ipchains: setsockopt failed: Protocol not available
# ipchains -F
ipchains: cannot open file '/proc/net/ip_fwnames'

problem2:  compiling the kernel.  i configure the kernel the way the IP
Masquerade howto suggests for 2.0.x kernels.  the compilation almost
completes and generates a command 'as86' which generates a command not
found error.  any suggestions?

any help or references to relevant documentation would be appreciated.

thanks,
______________________
Brad Reid,
umreidbj@cc.umanitoba.ca