Re: old Notebook as firewall Q's


"Jill" <f@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns9746D74F73C85fchancecom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Duane Arnold" <No@xxxxxx> wrote in
> news:AMEwf.814$ee6.181@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:
>
>>
>> "Jill" <f@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:Xns97469E8455A1fchancecom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>I have an old Acer notebook that I am looking to turn into a firewall
>>>for
>>> my home network (seems more reasonable then paying $100 for one), and
>>> I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction.
>>>
>>> So, here it is.
>>>
>>> Acer Travelmate 517TE
>>>
>>> I have a CATC NetMate usb adapter that I have used in the past to
>>> hook-up high speed internet to this machine (no ethernet port).
>>>
>>> I have recently aquired a 3COM 10/100 LAN Cardbus adapter that will
>>> essentially do the same thing.
>>>
>>> Can I use the CATC as the internet in and the 3COM as the internet
>>> out, which would then run into my Linksys router and service the rest
>>> of the network? I looked into the specs of the 3COM and it says it
>>> is 'full- duplex'; I don't know if this applies, but thought it might
>>> mean that I can use it as the out port.
>>
>> http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-hubs-and-switches.asp
>>
>> The Linksys NAT router has a built-in *switch* that will take full
>> advantage of full duplex for any machines connected to the LAN ports
>> of the router or if another standalone switch is connected and
>> machines are connected to it. Most NIC(s) will work in full duplex
>> mode in that situation.
>>
>>>
>>> If this setup will work; what is my best bet for firewall software?
>>> XP is currently loaded onto the system and I have found that it is
>>> quite unstable (maybe a virus on there somewhere). I assume that it
>>> should be loaded with Linux and the approprite firewall software. I
>>> have read that there are boot disks that can be used, but I'm willing
>>> to dedicate the machine to this use, so I figure I might as well go
>>> the distance and just set it up to do its thing.
>>
>> If the machine is compormised with malware, you need to find it.
>>
>
>
> I just figured I would be reformatting the drive anyway if I was going to
> load Linux onto it, so that should take care of the malware
>
>
>>>
>>> Advice/thoughts/links would be appreicated. I've done quite a bit of
>>> surfing on this topic, but still not quite sure if I can make this
>>> work.
>>
>> What's wrong with the Linksys NAT router as the gateway device and
>> provides protection from the WAN for the LAN?
>>
>
> This is what I don't understand. I have recently been looking at the
> AlphaSheild hardware firewall, as a firewall solution. My problem is
> that I want all the machines in the house to have their XP firewall down
> to make file sharing easier. My understanding is that the Linksys router
> I use does not act as a firewall. There are no firewall settings on the
> router.

But the Linksys NAT router does provide protection protecting the LAN from
the WAN/Internet by not forwarding unsolicited inbound requests from the WAN
to the machines on the LAN behind the router. In the basic sense, the NAT
router separates two networks the WAN/Internet it is protecting from and the
LAN/(the machines it is protecting connected to it). You can do resource
sharing between machines on the Windows Networking Ports because the ports
are closed by default on the router. The only way the machines can be
attacked on the WNP(s) is you manually open those ports on the router.

>
> Maybe I just need to learn how to use my router properly.
>
> Is it safe to say that anyone with a Linksys router would never employ a
> hardware firewall, between the router and the modem?

Well most likely they would use a personal FW solution behind a NAT router
the cannot stop outbound. If you had a packet filtering FW router or a FW
appliance that stops inbound and outbound traffic by setting filtering
rules, then one doesn't need a PFW solution on the machines behind them,
IMHO. In either of the cases, they would be sitting between the modem and
the machines as a border solution. The FW solutions can stop traffic between
LAN IP(s)/machines(traffic between LAN machines by setting rules) or they
can stop traffic between LAN IP(s) and WAN/Internet IP(s).

>
>> http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp
>>
>> I don't think you need to be using Linux to do anything here IMHO.
>>
>> I'll have to question the whole laptop thing period.
>>
>> Duane :)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Thx for the help; I'll check out the links

As far as the AlphaSheild, I think you're better off with that Linksys that
has logging and maybe SPI if it has SPI. You can always get a higher end FW
router or a low-end FW appliance that meets the specs in the link below.
That AlphaShield I am pretty sure doesn't meet the specs. You can also get
FW routers or FW appliances that are used, refurbished with a full warrantee
and support for a low price from reputable dealer.

What does an Internet FW do?

http://www.firewall-software.com/firewall_faqs/what_does_firewall_do.html

This link may also help you understand FW(s) host software or appliance
based.

http://www.more.net/technical/netserv/tcpip/firewalls/

Duane :)


.

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