What DSL Router?

T

TedTheDog

Guest
I've asked this question within another thread in the main HSS forum but I thought it wise to ask the same question in a more specific forum in its own thread.

Getting DSL (had it before, but its always been provided "as-is" by my employer and its now down to me) and I'm looking for an ethernet router that has good security built in, but is configurable by a muppet. ie me.
Got multiple PC's to go behind it, and will have multiple IP's as NAT isnt something I want to concern myself with.

I want control, reliability and security. Suggestions please.
I'm open minded on this, i would prefer a single box solution, but am happy to consider multiple boxes box+software solutions.
Used to use ZA Pro and was reasonably happy with it. Looked at Outpost, which seems a little better in theory. But then what router to go with that?
Or what router would do it all?

Confused....
 
W

Will

Guest
For single solution, I'd recommend Smoothwall, which is a linux distro (I know, I know) with firewall, routing, and all that jazz, and its web-configurable.

Going the hardware router option, I have a Netgear RT314 (old but reliable), and a mate recently got a Netgear MR314 (updated version, more or less) and is very impressed.
 
C

Clowneh!

Guest
sorry to hijack ur thread kinda mr dog but i kinda need help too in this sorta thing (ill make a new thread if someone tells me to :p)

plan.jpg

right, i wanna make that there yeh?

i think its all right, i think i know what parts i need to buy... now all i need is for recommendations for these parts:
NIC- i have a 2 quid one which works so i think i may just go for another one of those
HDD - 3gig or summat (do they still make stuff this shit? might have to get from ebay)
HUB - i have no idea whats good or bad or whatever
2 x 50m CAT5/RJ45 - need to be ready made cuz i dunno how to make them, nor do i have any tools. the wires are loooonnnng cuz i ave to tack them halfway around the house. with adsl its only the adsl modem to filter wire that has to be less than 30m right?
Filters - i know what ones to get of these :p
Router/Firewall software - errr, maybe that thing what will said up there? needs to be piss easy to handle cuz im crap with all that stuff.

i have little funds, so err... bear that in mind should u wish to help me :p

YEAH ILL STICK THIS IN ANOTHER THREAD IF U WANT ME TO MR TED

ta
 
U

[UKLans]Khan

Guest
NIC = As long as it's 10/100 it really don't matter, the only time you wanna spend nuff money on a NIC is if it's a server.
HDD = 3GB will be fine, the speed of the thing has to go faster thatn your net connection... which it will! (by hundreds of times)
HUB = No - Switch = Yes - Get a very cheap 10/100 4 port switch from a company like www.scan.co.uk.

Nat/Router Software - You could try Proxy+ (google it) although like it says, it is a proxy server and not a NAT Router.

Try going to downloads.com and see if there are any free nat routers, I used to use WinRoute Lite, but I think it's gone up in price now.

Hope this helps,

Khan
 
S

(Shovel)

Guest
I just installed version 2 of Smoothwall myself and it's top stuff. Very simple - good documentation too. Can't fault it to be honest.

For switches (no to hubs), I recommend the Netgear FS105 starter kit. It's the FS105 (top kit, 5 ports, auto-uplink) and comes with two NICs too - essentially for free. Dabs sell it for around £35 - and two NICs would cost you £10 minimum. Oh, it'll give you a couple of connection lengths of Cat5 too for what it's worth :)
 
T

TedTheDog

Guest
Bah! nasty thread hijacker!

Anyway, been looking at Netgear thanks to Will and found this.
Found a few reviews and all say its quite good. Oddly, the same reviews appear on several sites, word for word. Ah, integrity...

Also had the Draytek Vigor range reccomended to me, but havent actually managed to find anywhere that sells them online.

Any thoughts on either of those? Dont need wireless really, have 2 wireless cards but no pc's to put them in.
 
X

xane

Guest
If you have an old PC lying around I'd suggest going for the software solution, I use IPcop myself, but I need to upgrade to the latest version.

The router/firewall machine can be any old crap, mine is actually a vastly overpowered AMD 700Mhz (Slot A), but thats because it was the lowest spec motherboard I had spare that had USB (for the ADSL "Frog"). The HDD is a very old Seagate 120MB, the video card is an even older ISA 1MB card, and I stripped out the CD-ROM once it was all installed, so it really is a bare-bones system.

The LAN is built on a Netgear FS105 switch and an older Netgear FE104 hub daisy chained.

Can I just point out that it is practically impossible for a router/firewall to replace the main function of a firewall such as ZoneAlarm, that being blocking communication by program, which is the sure-fire way to prevent trojans screwing up your machine.

Port blocking is fine as long as malicious programs play by the rules, which they invariably don't, same applies to a signature analysis based firewall (like BlackICE), but when it comes down to a program blocking firewall it has to be run on the host machine, so even with this fancy setup you'll still be running ZA :)

(I use Norton Firewall myself, much better interface than ZA, but not free).
 
T

TedTheDog

Guest
I fully understand that the "cheap PC with 2 nic's and a linux distro" is the best inbound security, and that Zone Alarm and the like are excellent at stopping trojans getting out.
But I dont have or want another PC, I have 2 and both are gaming PC's. I'll certainly get ZA or Outpost on them both to stop shit getting out, but i wanted something to stop shit getting in too, and I simply cant be arsed with building a new pc and having to discover linux and some nerdy software. I want a box I can buy and plugin and do a little tinkering with. I need an ADSL modem and a router and a hardware firewall and thats what I hope to get all in one box.

Ya dig ma thang?
 
W

Will

Guest
Buy me.

OK, I can't find a place where it is for sale, but it seems perfect for you.;)
 
C

Clowneh!

Guest
i dont even have a firewall :|
the main reason i wanted a router is cuz i read the wire from modem to filter cant be 30m, and the layout of my house means this is too short for me to tack it round the walls. the wire is hanging loosely and the dog keeps pulling it out and breaking my splitters :(

so at least this router/firewall setup thing should be more protection that i have at the moment yeh? (not that i particularly care, and touch wood that this stuff wont happen to me :eek:)
 
C

Clowneh!

Guest
hehehe you have way too much time on your hands william
 
D

Dr_Weasel

Guest
I bought the cheap as chips Ebuyer Modem Router. Does all I want it to do out of the box except Windows File Sharing across the internal network.

But tbh, Ive spent <10 minutes trying to get that to work so I expect I could probably sort it if I really needed it.

The ebuyer job seems realy cool when you compare the prices to the netgear stuff.
 
K

kameleon

Guest
Clowneh: break the little locking tab on the cable that goes into the wall socket when your clumsy ass dog pulls the wite it will just pop out of the wall socket.
 

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