LandzDown Forum

Security => Security Software Programs => Topic started by: Temmu on July 14, 2006, 01:57:56 AM

Title: hardware firewall
Post by: Temmu on July 14, 2006, 01:57:56 AM
'k.  whaddabout a hardware firewall that is relatively easy to set up and maintain (oh, and did i mention, works?).  cost really isn't the factor, ease of use is, but cheaper is better.

now one can buy a cisco 515e, but who can maintain that?  (yeah, yeah, $600/yr cisco tech support contract...)  but that's not what's needed.

ideas?
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Brynn on July 17, 2006, 01:39:24 PM
Hi Temmu,
Welcome to Landzdown :D!
This topic is outside my realm of knowledge about puters.  But for whatever it's worth, I would like to see more hardware firewalls for dialup users.

Most best security practices articles I've read, now recommend everyone use a hardware firewall, in addition to a software firewall.  I spent a lot of time looking for one which is intended for dialup connections, and never found one.  I posted a message about this somewhere, maybe at LzD, maybe not (I can't remember for sure), and someone who replied had found one somewhere, but its intended use is with a network (which I don't use a network).

Anyway, turns out the recommendation to use a hw-fw, is aimed to protect cable and dsl connections, which are usually active all the time.  Apparently the concept is that dialup users are at less risk, since they're not constantly connected.  Surely, I think, I'm not the only dialup user who spends a lot of time connected to the internet.  But this appears to be a situation which the authors of the articles I read, have not considered.  Either that, or hw-fw's to protect dialup connections don't exist.  I think they don't exist, is the more likely explanation.

Getting back to your topic, though, I no longer have links to the many hw-fw's (?) I looked at.  But I do seem to recall many which appeared to be fairly easy to use, and for a relatively reasonable price.  I suppose ease of use and reasonable price are relative terms....and it could easily be, that I wasn't understanding the descriptions I was reading (:blink: certainly wouldn't be the first time!).  But I'm wondering if you have other requirements, besides just ease of use and reasonably priced?

Wish I could be more help.
Best of luck in your search.
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Temmu on July 17, 2006, 08:06:10 PM
thanks, brynn for the response;

anyone else?
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: mitch on July 17, 2006, 08:31:19 PM
first of all GRC is one good guy
you can check out your firewall there and will give a honest SAFE report  (sheilds up)

read this and go to his links ;-)

http://www.grc.com/lt/hardware.htm (http://www.grc.com/lt/hardware.htm)
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Temmu on July 20, 2006, 11:10:17 PM
i like the grc site, but the leak test article is quite dated, it seems, last article in 2001.  yikes!
one then has to wonder if the tests are that old too...
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Corrine on July 20, 2006, 11:52:51 PM
Sorry, Temmu.  I'm a dialup user with a software firewall.  I did respond to your 2nd question though.  :)
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Paddy on July 21, 2006, 04:18:42 PM
Temmu, hello you might want to try these tests here ...
http://www.pcflank.com/ 


numbnuts... :breakkie:
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: Temmu on July 21, 2006, 09:05:05 PM
nice site, numbnuts (ooo it's strange calling someone that... :o )  thx!

and corrine, thx too!
Title: Re: hardware firewall
Post by: glenncof on October 11, 2006, 03:22:44 PM
www.netgear.com/Products/VPNandSSL/WiredVPNFirewallRouters/FR114P.aspx

I started looking for hardware firewall for 1-2 user at home.  The print server is also useful in my case. This looks reasonable at $80 locally.  There is some administration to keep things updated.  I don't know the deal on this from netgear.