Firewall settings on SBS2K3

Hi everyone - I have SBS 2003 R2 standard edt. installed with two NIC cards.
(both static)
I have enabled the basic firewall with NAT enabled. Internet is provided by a DSL modem.
Problem i am having is that users are complaining that certain websites are being blocked - such as yahoo mail and hotmail. One specific website - which the accounts dept. uses -online banking to make salaries transfers etc- certain parts of this said website is blocked.

I have allowed HTTP,HTTPS through the firewall and these sites are still blocked..

Please help!!...

 

I don't think this is a port/protocol problem. If it were, you'd be having problems accessing all site rather than just certain ones.

Opening up HTTP and HTTPS to incoming is make your system more vulnerable to hacking rather than fixing this problem.

Personally, I would NOT recommend using Standard SBS in the way you have set it up. Standard SBS 2003 does not include ISA and therefore does not include a decent firewall.

A far better solution is to invest in a router and a hardware firewall from a company such as Watchguard, Netasq or Sonicwall. Then allow all the network internet access through the firewall and router rather than via the SBS server.

If you are on a very tight budget, a router with a Statefull Packet Inspection firewall is a minimum I would use (for example one on Netgear's VPN Firewall routers). However, a dedicated hardware firewall is easier to manage, better performing and an all round better solution.

The router and firewall set up will give you better security and performance than you are getting with your current set up. It will also be easier to configure and avoid the sort of problems you are currently getting. It will also be easier to set up the SBS server as you'll only need to use one network connection.