AndrewMcHorney wrote:
Is the firewall/router a linux box?
I believe that's what Kelsey was recommending. Linux has _really_
top-notch capabilities in the firewall/routing software department. And
furthermore there is lots of excellent documentation and plenty of
experts to learn from. If you want to learn this technology, it's a lot
of fun, and there's no better way!
On the other hand, it is possible to do a similar but considerably less
versatile job with inexpensive (maybe ~$50?) products with names like
linksys and dlink (and maybe others that people here might recommend),
that typically are adequate for home use and provide something like a
built-in 4-port switch as well.
Kelsey (or others) may wish to chime in with a different opinion, but
for ordinary home use, many people are getting along ok with the
"consumer-grade NAT box" (as long as it has a built-in basic firewall).
Disadvantages:
- limited versatility
- slightly difficult to upgrade
- unverifiable and possibly questionable security
Counter arguments:
- good enough for usual home use
- firmware flash upgrades fairly easy, once you find the recipe
- yes, you're at the mercy of a proprietary system, but in general, the
vendors have so far proven "good enough", many would say
Advantages:
- pretty much plug in and go (perhaps a little setup via browser)
- small size and low power consumption
Counter agruments:
- fancy or complicated firewalling may be impossible, and besides, you
don't get to learn about iptables <grin>
Disclaimer: if you want to add a wireless access point, then there may
be other considerations in favor of a _real_ computer to work with. I'll
let others answer that part if it pertains to you, since that's not
within my experience.
Regards,
..jim
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