Wanting to setup a firewall/router computer

 
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rrinc
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 725
Location: Arkansas, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:56 pm    Post subject: Wanting to setup a firewall/router computer Reply with quote

I'm wanting to setup a computer-based firewall/router for my network. Just something that is nicely configurable and will let me assign IPs across my LAN. Security would be nice. My server and a couple other computers will be hooked up to it. I also might hook up my wireless router.

First of all, here's the hardware I was thinking:
Pentium 3 500Mhz
192MB RAM
I've got more RAM laying around if you think I'd need it (I could steal 512MB from another computer and stick that in instead). I've also got 3 NICs I can use (10/100Mbps, a Linksys, 3com, and probably another 3com). I've also got an 8 port switch.
I guess I'd be using 2 NICs and the switch with the firewall/router computer.

Are those specs adequate?

Next, the question is software...what would you use?

I don't know much about these but I know they could possibly work:
M0n0wall, IPCop, Smoothwall, Freesco, and then there's a ton of others. Does anyone have experience with any of these or any other similar software firewalls?
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Last edited by rrinc on Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
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AbyssUnderground
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Joined: 31 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a linux distribution specifically designed to be a "router" with all of the security features you'd need, including a firewall. All you'd need then is two network cards (if your broadband is via ethernet) and you plug your broadband into one and a switch into the other. Then all the pc's to be connected go into the switch.

I've had no experience with this Linux distro, and nor do I know its name, but I have heard of it previously.
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rrinc
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Location: Arkansas, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, basically the only thing I'm not sure about is what router OS to use.

I'll try out m0n0wall and see how that goes.
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aprelium
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Joined: 22 Mar 2002
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rrinc wrote:
Yeah, basically the only thing I'm not sure about is what router OS to use.

I'll try out m0n0wall and see how that goes.


All of the distributions you mentioned are based on the same Linux kernel and tools. What differs is their setup procedure and the GUI/Web interface they offer. But low level stuff will be the same.

FreeBSD may also be a good candidate. In its default install, it offers the option to act as a software router.
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rrinc
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Location: Arkansas, USA

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

M0n0wall so far has been pretty good. I'm missing loopback support though. Does anyone know of a nice software router that supports it?
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aprelium
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rrinc wrote:
M0n0wall so far has been pretty good. I'm missing loopback support though. Does anyone know of a nice software router that supports it?


As far as we know, enabling loopback support in Linux is a matter of a running a single command. So it's strange that M0n0wall does not offer that feature.

Have you tried to ask for help about it on their forum/mailinglist?
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rrinc
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Location: Arkansas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

M0n0wall is FreeBSD based. Here's the reason it can't: http://doc.m0n0.ch/handbook/faq-lannat.html

It says ipfilter/ipnat are what limit it. So, any other routers that look worth trying out?
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aprelium
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rrinc,

Sorry, we thought it was Linux based.
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rrinc
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Easy mistake to make. The lack of loopback is really killing me, I can't really access some of my stuff, specifically forums (they are coded to only work on a certain URL).

Does anyone know of any good Linux (or anything that supports loopback) routers? I just want one with some good features and a web control panel.
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aprelium
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rrinc,

LEAF is based on Shorewall and it seems to support loopback (even if they say it is not recommended: http://www.shorewall.net/FAQ.htm#faq2 ).
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