[Sussex] Router Question

[Ronan Chilvers]

Hi Gareth

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 15:43:27 +0000
Gareth Ablett <sussexlug at googlemail.com> wrote:

> Hey All,
> 
> Just a quick question i'm sure there are a lot of opionated people
> here that may answer with proven experiance.
> 
> I am looking at a new router (well not right now but i want to be
> looking at a new router) my main requirment is something thats easy
> to setup so that it will give each connected machine an outside IP. i
> have other hubs/switches in the house so not all computers will be
> directly connected to it although that isnt a problem.
> 
> I'm currently running cat5/cat6 though the house but like the idea of
> wireless as an additional thing, but its not needed.
> 
> Will need router/modem in one or indervidual parts not bothered
> either way but considering price differances.
> 

Have you considered systems like smoothwall and ipcop?  I have used
both a lot and they work very well.  I currently have a small PC at
home with IPcop installed and an Alcatel Speedtouch (yes, the old green
flat one) stuck in a USB port.  The system has worked very well and has
been extremely stable for about 3 years now.  Both Smoothwall and IPCop
let you assign a DMZ and at least IPCop lets you segregate out the WLAN
too.

The advantage you have with either of these is that its a linux system
underneath the nice interface, which means you can plunge in and tweak
if you want to.  IPCop also supports pluginable services although while
some people have gone a bit crazy and published things like samba
servers and so on (ie: stuff that shouldn't be running on a firewall).
I've kept mine pretty pared down and it works fine.

Oh, and its free...  :-)  Got any old PCs lying about?

Cheers
-- 
Ronan
e: ronan at thelittledot.com
t: 01903 739 997
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