Hello.
I'm purchasing a new solution software for a business that requires a hefty and secure network allowing only 8 remote locations into the servers. The servers are Dell 2.33 x 2 GHz 8 Gig RAM 1950 systems, running terminal services for up to 25 remote users in various locations. I run a high speed business class cable broadband, and I need a good recommendation for a firewall/router that will allow me to configure this to be possible. What would be the best recommendation?? And was is cost effective?

Thanks,
extofer

cisco pix is the best thing to get, but if you want something simpler, have a look at sofaware and jungo (both can be googled). sofaware is checkpoint's hardware division, so what you get there is s-box, a router with checkpoint firewall built in. it can be even regularly updated

Thanks.
I've been looking at those prices... WOW. Do you recommend anything under $500???

Thanks

you said hefty and secure, not cheap

Hi Extofer,

Is that a total of 25 users and 8 remote locations? Or is it just that only 25 of your users use TS?

I manage IT for a medium sized charity organisation, and need to put in a new firewall/gateway - needless to say, I need to keep costs down too.

We have ~75 pc's on our network, ~180 users (including shift workers), and a PPTP VPN which about 15 users use to work from home from time to time and which has been used for a site to site link to the US as a reasonably secure way to transfer large amounts of data (counseling session videos). I'm thinking about changing this to IPSec, but PPTP has been fine thus far.

My budget firewall/gateway solution is a PC running Ubuntu Server with Webmin (a web based interface) and 2 networks interfaces (we don't need a DMZ) (Ubuntu Server, Webmin).

This setup would allow you to configure a VPN over IPSec or PPTP for remote access, and could be installed on fairly modest hardware if you have less than 50 users. It would also allow you to add things like network web caching, proxy filtering etc. if you need to. It also has no support costs and no client access costs/limitations.

Under $500 may be pushing it if you want new hardware, but if you have an old server or even a PC with at least 2 network interfaces (3 if you need a DMZ), about 1GB/RAM and at least say a 2.0 Ghz, single core processor, that should be fine for up to 50 users with average internet usage. If you have quite heavy internet traffic requirements, you might want to up the specs a bit.

I'm using a PC with 2 x Gigabit network interfaces, 2GB/RAM, and a 2.4 Ghz, dual core processor.

The savings made by using Ubuntu Server (or pretty much any Linux distro for that matter) are offset by the need for more technical knowledge and a more complicated setup procedure, but at least for me, that's not a problem because my boss is happy for me to devote a decent amount of time to tinkering, testing and learning.

Hope that helps - let me know if you want more details about configuration or need any how-to's.

Chris Fry
Canberra, Australia

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