I like the Opera browser and I have been using it a lot lately since
they offer a free VPN that will activate automatically when you open the
browser. One issue so far is that some web sites can recognize that you
are using a VPN and they won't respond.
On 1/10/2017 12:27 PM, Ted Roche wrote:
A reminder that a a VPN is a "Virtual Private Network" and when you
connect to another network, you are connecting as if your machine is
part of that network, and sometimes, your network is part of theirs,
too. For your work environment, this might not be a threat, but I know
I have clients whose work environment is not one I consider sanitary
enough to connect to.
I'd suggest OpenVPN for you, Ken: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVPN
(For some of my clients, we've got a Linux box in their network, and
can connect over ssh using Linux native tools or Putty on Windows, and
then RDP or VNC to share screens without sharing networks. Other folks
here have recommended stunnel, too.)
On Tue, Jan 10, 2017 at 2:35 PM, Ken Dibble <[email protected]> wrote:
My consultant is proposing some species of Sophos UTM, which I can purchase
as hardware only, without an ongoing subscription service, if all I want is
ordinary router/firewall capability. (Subscriptions are required for various
add-on functions such as anti-malware protection, a built-in VPN, and/or URL
blocking, among other things.)
Does anyone have experience with Sophos devices?
Also, what would you recommend for a free (as in beer) VPN application, so I
can avoid paying a subscription for that? This would only be used
occasionally, to provide remote access to our VMWare management software in
the event of an emergency that prevents me from physically reaching our
building. (The consultant recommends against installing the vSphere client
on our RDP server as dangerously insecure.) I know there are several out
there. What have you used and why have you used it?
Thanks very much for all of your responses so far. They've all been useful
in helping me to understand the "modern" state of routers and firewalls.
Ken Dibble
www.stic-cil.org
Which software router are you looking at? Coyote? Most of the software
routers I have used are no longer being supported or developed.
Nothing has been recommended by our consultants yet. I'm trying to prepare
in advance.
The choices in hardware router/firewall devices are not that great. I've
been using a Zyxel 1000G for a few years and it has been, mostly, reliable.
I've had it get wonky and require a reboot twice in 6 years. The interface
is very very different...completely object-oriented. Fortunately Zyxel
provides excellent tech support, they'll even log in to your router and
configure it for you if needed.
The CISCO was rock solid for quite a while. However, a couple years ago
its memory failed and was replaced with a used substitute. Since then we've
had to cycle the power on it about once every 2-3 months to restore
connectivity.
Its web interface is horrendously byzantine in terms of its "security"
features, which did not behave well in IE, and even worse in Firefox. It
could take 10-15 minutes of going through various windows and resubmitting
credentials before it would give up the goods and show me something.
I don't think you'll run into any throughput issues with your load on any
device, or software-based system.
That's good to know.
Thanks very much, Mike.
Ken
Ken Dibble wrote:
Hi folks,
Looks like our "ancient" (2008) CISCO router has died.
I would appreciate the benefit of your experience regarding hardware vs
software routers/firewalls to help me evaluate replacement options.
Our current network uses 1 GB switches and has about 150 machines, and
there can be at least that many people simultaneously using the network and
our 25 mbps synchronous internet connection (including people hooking into
our internet from smart phones and tablets). Most servers, including the
domain controller, are virtualized and we are using a SAN for storage (two
identical Synology Linux NAS devices). We have a 10 GB switch for virtual
server/storage connectivity.
We do not host external (internet) email or websites on our network.
We've had slow growth in the number of machines and users (+/- 5% per
year) over the past decade.
We've always used the NAT functionality of the CISCO to provide a
firewall and we only rarely allow anything to punch through it. The main
exception would be our RDP server, which is in frequent use by between 5 and
10 simultaneous connections.
My understanding is that a software router/firewall running on an
ordinary PC is likely to be slower than a dedicated hardware device.
However, is the difference so significant for a network like mine as to rule
out a cheaper software solution?
Do you have preferences for specific devices or software packages?
What do you all think?
Many thanks.
Ken Dibble
www.stic-cil.org
[excessive quoting removed by server]
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