dedicated firewall PC setup

Hi,

I am looking to be a bit cheep and rather than install firewall software on all computers, just install it on one system which will soley be used for this purpose.

I have got a PC (PII333 with 512Ram and winXPpro) and 2 nics installed. One will connect to the broadband router (which has a firewall but no SPI or software identification) the other will connect to the office switch.

I have ran windows ICS and this works no probs other than it was annoying having to chanage all IP's from 192.168.1.xxx to 192.168.0.xxx as ICS automatically assignes. If i fully disable the windows firewall on the firewall PC, everything works ok - no probs with web comms. If i enable it, no probs again. So i know the ICS works.


I need a piece of software that will deal with the port blocking but will also stop any mailicious software on LAN PC's accessing out that the anti-virus has missed.

Im wanting something that will scan what is going between the 2 nics and alert me with a allow/deny window as software on the network access the internet.

The office has 8 computers connected onto the network.

Does anybody know some software that would do the job, a free trial version would be good so i can give it a try first before spending too much cash.

Many thanks,
Stuart.

 

I know a wonderful software named Zebra that can fulfill even more than what you expect (www.zebra.org), but it requires Linux.

 

I'd recommend SmoothWall. Another linux based solution.

 

Question

Since Stuart is running winXP and running internet connection thru a single computer wouldn’t ANY software firewall work? Especially Norton Internet Security (know it provides a 30 day free trial)?

Since Reggie n Jason suggested a linux based solution – how would you set that up?

 

Stuart needs a firewall for the whole network, say 8 computers he mentioned, not only for one computer, Norton Internet Security won't work this way.

For the dedicated machine Stuart mentioned, which is PII 333, running Linux better than windows XP( Sorry I say this in our windows BBS). For this case, Stuart only wants this dedicated machine act as a firewall. So, reload a Linux system on it is not a big task. Nowadays, to install a Fedora Core 4 or 5 is as easy as to install a windows XP system.

 

Hello to all,

Thanks for the information you have provided. I had an idea it wasnt 100% easily possible with windows and that Linux would be the answer.

I have some expereince of it but not with a firewall setup - i will certainly try what has been suggested.

Will update with results.