Firewalls and Internet Connection Sharing
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Chichester, UK
Firewalls and Internet Connection Sharing
Hi Chaps. .. .I've just got ADSL <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> and have set up Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) on my XP box to allow a couple of other PC's on a home LAN to share the connection. All works fine so far. However, I'm not happy about having an (almost) always on connection without a decent firewall and so I installed Zone Alarm, which I've found to be a very good home firewall in the past.. .. .However, install the free version and bang - ICS dies. After spending a frustrating hour playing around I actually read the instructions and discovered that only the non-free Pro version of Zone Alarm supports ICS. Before I buy that, does anyone have any experience with any of the other non-free firewalls? If I'm going to pay then I might as well buy a good one. . .. .Cheers.
Joined: May 2000
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From: Woodville, Derbyshire, UK
Evo - I was here a while ago. You can get the free version of Zone Alarm to work with ICS, provided you drop the security level to medium (which you may not want to do of course!).. .. .In the end, I splashed out £210 on an ISDN router (you can get them for ADSL too). That connects to Home Highway (ISDN) and also provides a hub for all the PCs in the house.. .. .Now, each PC thinks it is permanently connected to the Internet (set up that way so no need for DUN etc). First one to try to connect and the router "dials" out. Anyone coming in from outside sees the router and no further - the firewall has not spotted a single "intruder" since the router went in.. .. .Seems much more stable than ICS - well worth the money I think.. .. .Shout if you want to know more.
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If you have a spare computer (Minimum 486/100 with ~200Mb Hard drive) have a look at the linux based firewall/router system called Smoothwall. Once you have it running you don't need monitor/keyboard/mouse/CDrom on the firewall system. You can get the CD image from here <a href="http://www.smoothwall.org" target="_blank">Smoothwall.org</a> and best of all is its free <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> . .I have been running it for 2 months now and it works well. You can also use it for sharing modems/ISDN.. .. .MAx
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What I've done is to purchase an <a href="http://www.dslsource.co.uk/products/alcatel/firewall.htm" target="_blank">Alcatel Speed Touch Pro with Firewall</a> - which is a combined ADSL Router, firewall, and 4 port hub - which I use on my BT 500 ADSL line at home, the point being that I can network 4 PC's together, requiring no more than standard RJ45 cables, have them all simultaneously able to use the one ADSL line, and all are protected behind the firewall - it's been VERY reliable and an honest no-brainer to set up !. .. .The UK suppliers of it were a company called DSL Source ( see: <a href="http://www.dslsource.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.dslsource.co.uk</a> ) who've presently got a £30 reduction on the above product.. .Should you call them, the blokes to speak to are Greg or Mark ( techies ), and I won't mind if you say that Tony at Astraeus recommended them to you ( NB. I have no connection with them, other than having been suitably impressed with their service - praise indeed ).. .. .Also, literally last week, I purchased an <a href="http://www.dslsource.co.uk/products/products.cgi?type=Wireless%20Options" target="_blank">Alcatel Speed Touch Wireless (570) ADSL Ethernet Router</a>, plus ten Speed Touch 110 (802.11b) PCMCIA LAN cards.. .After a very quick call ( 10 minutes ) with DSL Source for some techie advice I had the whole shooting match connected to BT Business 500 ADSL and laptop equipped users roaming about the office connected to it via wireless - very impressive and once again a true no-brainer to set up !
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Chichester, UK
CrashDive & EGCC Rwy 24 . .. .If I was ever smart enough to listen to what other people tell me then I'd have done exactly what you say - a couple of people here at work told me to do just that. However, I wasn't, and got the <a href="http://www.dslsource.co.uk/products/alcatel/usb.htm" target="_blank">Alcatel USB Modem</a> instead. I'm kicking myself now. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> . .. .Agent86. .. .Good suggestion, but I picked a USB modem and the old Pentium 233MMX in the cupboard doesn't have USB ports. Buying them is a possibility, and I'm perfecly happy setting up an ipchains firewall myself, but it will cost as much as a firewall for XP and will mean having another machine running.. .. .Justin & T&G. .. .Thanks for the recommendation - that looks like the most likely candidate at the moment.
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: EU
You could also try Vicomsoft Surfdoubler (or Internet Gateway depending on how many computers you want to connect!) which is NAT sharing software with a built-in firewall; we've been using it for some time with BT ADSL and it's faultless.. .. .We're using the Mac version but there's also a Windoze version - you can download a free trial from:. .. .<a href="http://www.vicomsoft.com" target="_blank">www.vicomsoft.com</a>
