"foobar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> What would be your preference and why...?
>
> I'm looking at a couple small shareware proxy servers like FreeProxy
> and AnalogX or I can go w/ ICS (am running Win2K Pro).
>
> What I like about ICS is it can handle the oddball ports and protocols
> for the most part.
>
> But w/ a proxy it's easy to configure a firewall. Also I can stay in
> stealth mode perhaps.
>

If I were you I'd go and get a Linksys or Netgear firewall router. The one
I prefer is the Netgear FR114P. The advantages are 1) you don't need to
leave a PC running, 2) you don't have the over head of a software proxy and
3) once you have the router in place you don't need to install desktop
software firewalls. (the FR114P has outbound traffic control too)

--

Rob

On Thu, 3 Jul 2003 10:31:42 -0400, "Robert R Kircher, Jr."
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>If I were you I'd go and get a Linksys or Netgear firewall router. The one
>I prefer is the Netgear FR114P. The advantages are 1) you don't need to
>leave a PC running, 2) you don't have the over head of a software proxy and
>3) once you have the router in place you don't need to install desktop
>software firewalls. (the FR114P has outbound traffic control too)

Then couldn't I also put in a UNIX box and hang the modem of that and
do the same thing?

I've got this old PackardBell 486 w/ a Pentium100 Overdrive on it and
an ISA 10mbps NIC. It 'might' work but I only have an external modem
(dialup access to net) and this boat anchor probably has the old pre
16550 UART. (I may yet have an old 16550 ISA card somewhere...?) If I
went that route - what would be a good choice of UNIX and other
router/firewall s/w? (by good choice, free, cheap and perhaps
downloadable)

Still I'd like to hear about the tradeoffs between ICS and a Proxy
solution for a 2 or 3 PC home network.

thanks,

"foobar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Thu, 3 Jul 2003 10:31:42 -0400, "Robert R Kircher, Jr."
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >If I were you I'd go and get a Linksys or Netgear firewall router. The
one
> >I prefer is the Netgear FR114P. The advantages are 1) you don't need to
> >leave a PC running, 2) you don't have the over head of a software proxy
and
> >3) once you have the router in place you don't need to install desktop
> >software firewalls. (the FR114P has outbound traffic control too)
>
> Then couldn't I also put in a UNIX box and hang the modem of that and
> do the same thing?
>

Yes you could. There are many who advocate just such a solution.

I use MS ISA as my firewall and proxy but, as with all setups like this
should be, its on a dedicated and hardened PC. Most home networks don't
have the luxury of a spare PC dedicated to one non user use. If you have an
old PC collecting dust the Linux is a good choice. I'm personally not a
Linux user but I'm sure there are other who can help you there. Try
comp.security.firewalls or alt.computer.security.


--

Rob

"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:be1eog$ijv$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> If I were you I'd go and get a Linksys or Netgear firewall router. The
one
> I prefer is the Netgear FR114P. The advantages are 1) you don't need to
> leave a PC running, 2) you don't have the over head of a software proxy
and
> 3) once you have the router in place you don't need to install desktop
> software firewalls. (the FR114P has outbound traffic control too)
>
> --
>
> Rob

We have one of these which was fine when we used our ISP for smtp. Since
installing Exchange server, I cannot receive smtp from the ISP. I have other
ports pinholed no trouble, but as soon as I pinhole port 25, and put the
Netgear in place, I stop receiving mail and after about 30 minutes, all
access to the outside world ceases.

I'm currently have a Centrecom f/w on loan, but that has to go back soon. We
can't really afford another unit, so is this a hopeless case, and should I
look at a linux f/w?

Cheers

Rob

"Rob" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:be2lh5$8h8$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:be1eog$ijv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > If I were you I'd go and get a Linksys or Netgear firewall router. The
> one
> > I prefer is the Netgear FR114P. The advantages are 1) you don't need to
> > leave a PC running, 2) you don't have the over head of a software proxy
> and
> > 3) once you have the router in place you don't need to install desktop
> > software firewalls. (the FR114P has outbound traffic control too)
> >
> > --
> >
> > Rob
>
> We have one of these which was fine when we used our ISP for smtp. Since
> installing Exchange server, I cannot receive smtp from the ISP. I have
other
> ports pinholed no trouble, but as soon as I pinhole port 25, and put the
> Netgear in place, I stop receiving mail and after about 30 minutes, all
> access to the outside world ceases.
>
> I'm currently have a Centrecom f/w on loan, but that has to go back soon.
We
> can't really afford another unit, so is this a hopeless case, and should I
> look at a linux f/w?
>

Very interesting.

I use them for home and small business clients so I haven't run an SMTP
server behind one yet. I have one here on my bench and a server that I'm
working on. I'll see if I can get it all to work and let you know.

--

Rob





> Cheers
>
> Rob
>
>