[fw-wiz] Recommendation needed for a firewall appliance

From: Christopher L. Everett (ceverett_at_ceverett.com)
Date: 10/17/03

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    To: Firewall Wizards List <firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 15:51:47 -0500

    Hi,

    I'm a web programm/system admin for a small company in the
    medical advertising space. We operate on a pretty low budget,
    but I can get anything I can demonstrate a need for, within
    reason. In this case, within reason is $500 or less.

    So, even though we're 6 fulltime and a few parttime employees
    large, we've outgrown our Linksys BEFVP41 firewall box, because
    for the life of me I can't make the VPN work, and we could use
    lots more bandwith to administrate our servers directly on the
    Internet.

    Id set up a Linux based Firewall/VPN server, but I just don't
    have the time to mess with setting up such a box from scratch;
    the last time I played with FreeSWAN a little over a year ago
    I was unsuccessful in getting an IPSec VPN going with a Win2K
    box despite following detailed instructions verbatim.

    After looking around and seeing what's happening in the firewall
    appliance market, and thinking about what I'd like to be able to
    do, I've come up with these requirements:

    1) > 50 Mbps LAN-to-WAN throughput (needs a 10/100 WAN port)
    2) a 10/100 DMZ port
    3) enough VPN speed for 3 to 5 broadband users, 10Mbps or more
    4) client to VPN connectivity without needing special software,
       for Windows, OSX and Linux.
    5) maker has a good record on security & releasing patches
    6) The firewall/VPN runs in hardware as much as possible.

    As far as new, currently manufactured equipment that looks
    good to my inexperienced eye are:

    1) Netgear FVL328
    2) Hotbrick 600/2

    The Symantec 200R and Sonicwall stuff seems to need special VPN
    software so that's out.

    But I've also been checking out used equipment on Ebay hoping
    toget lucky and stretch our budget into something a little more
    deluxe such as an older Nokia (IP440?) or Watchguard box.

    One thing that I don't understand are the licensing issues
    with used Nokia boxes: do the Checkpoint licenses travel with
    the box or will I have to buy new licenses?

    Another thing I'd like to know about are the risks involved
    in running an older, possibly unsupported firewall/VPN box:
    is it riskier than just running straight NAT access? Are
    there some of these older boxes I should stay away from?

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