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Mycophiles

Limp Gawd
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Ok, I have a computer I've installed win2000 on to be a firewall for the two computers in my house which access the internet.

My question is, how do I do this? I'm fairly computer savy so I just need general instructions on how this will work.

For example: do I specify ip addresses for all the computers and have the router point to the 'server' and let the server give the other two computers their IP addresses?

I know I'm asking fairly complicated stuff but if everyone who gives suggestions doesn't explain using complicated technical jargon I think I can figure a lot of it out without asking too many questions.

I'll let yall explain now.

It's a clean install of win2000 and I'll install all 4 service packs as soon as I find a network cord to hook it up to the network with. It's a gateway p2 400mhz computer w/ 128meg ram, 16meg graphic card (voodoo I think), a 9 gig HD, all of which I picked up for free.

I have a 4 port Speedstream wired/wireless router (model 2624 I think) that will have 3 computers total being used on it. Those computers will be: The server, the upstairs computer, and the downstairs computer which is on a wireless network connection. The computers are all going to run different OS's unfortionately. The upstairs computer will have winxp, the server, like I said earlier, will have win2000 pro, and the downstairs computer has winME.

I'll be using the server to store family pictures on and other shared files between the two computers and to act as a gateway between our computers and the internet.

Thanks in advance.

ps. first question is which computer should have the virus protection program on it? I have norton 2004 antivirus. Will I scan over a network? The reason I ask is that the downstairs computer has mccaffee on it and I'd like to take it off ASAP.

Thanks again.
 
You can't just set up a machine, put it on your network past your router and use it as a firewall for your whole network. In order for a firewall to work it needs to be between your internet connection and router. If you want a hardware firewall, I suggest looking into one of the Linux or BSD based router/firewall set ups like Smoothwall, Clark Connect, etc and just use your existing router as a switch/access point.

You'd end up with internet -> linux/bsd router firewall -> speedsream acting as just an AP/switch -> internal network.

As for the anti virus software, it should be on all your machines, you can't just set up one to scan your whole network.
 
Hi Mycophiles, i'm not a specialist on networking but i've run 3 computers at my home with no problems. Usually the routers run some kind of firewall themselves. I'm not sure why you'd want the server running a firewall too unless just for extra safty. But the IP address thing. When you set the server up with the gateway router it should automaticly give the other computers their IP address. If your going to run different email address on each computer i'd run their own virus scanner software. I'm not sure if you can set the virus scanner software to auto scan the networked computers. I've never tried that. But you can manualy scan the networked computers for virus if you have all the files and folders to be shared on the network. I never really worried about viruses on my kids computers because they don't usually do email and I usually end up reformating their computer every couple of months anyway.
I hope this helped.
 
That sounds like a good valid point.

I've downloaded the latest version of suse just for that reason. What i've learned about this subject in the past has only regarded linux based OS's. I figured that I would run a windows machine because I'm more familiar with windows and that it could do the same thing in essence.

Im not trying to flex my computer knowledge here by oversteppeing my boundaries when It comes to computers.

I will however do what needs to be done to get this to work the way I believe it should. It's not skin off my back.

My first problem is that the suse folder I downloaded is 5.1GIGS!!!!! HOW in god's name am I soppose to burn that and install it? :wtf:

I've installed Redhat 7.3 which I downloaded and installed before and I have an older version of Suse on disk (7-8 disks!!) but If I have the latest basic version I'll just use that unless I'm instructed otherwise.

So... anyone want to tell me how to burn these 5.1 gigs of SUse onto disks?

Also... why is the Suse OS 5 gigs large? That sounds a bit extreme don't you think?
 
Originally posted by cross56
Hi Mycophiles, i'm not a specialist on networking but i've run 3 computers at my home with no problems. Usually the routers run some kind of firewall themselves. I'm not sure why you'd want the server running a firewall too unless just for extra safty. But the IP address thing. When you set the server up with the gateway router it should automaticly give the other computers their IP address. If your going to run different email address on each computer i'd run their own virus scanner software. I'm not sure if you can set the virus scanner software to auto scan the networked computers. I've never tried that. But you can manualy scan the networked computers for virus if you have all the files and folders to be shared on the network. I never really worried about viruses on my kids computers because they don't usually do email and I usually end up reformating their computer every couple of months anyway.
I hope this helped.
Click to expand...

This sounds more like what I'd like to do.

I basically want one computer to be used as a server and to act as a last line of defense between our computers and the rest of the world. I'm not paranoid nor do I have a ton of super sensitive stuff. I just want to be comfortable knowing that I have made it as hard as possible for anyone who wants to get on my computer for any reason.

Also I'd like one computer to act as a 'mother' to the other 2 computers and as a place to store files that are to be stored for longer periods of time.
 
My first problem is that the suse folder I downloaded is 5.1GIGS!!!!! HOW in god's name am I soppose to burn that and install it? :wtf:
Click to expand...

Again, I'd suggest you look into Linux or BSD distro's targeted at firewall/routing use. Windows 2000 would make a horrible firewall. You should really have your firewall and file server on seperate hardware too.
 
Yeah, I was sorta wondering why you'd wanna use 2000 as a firewall also. It wasn't really designed for that. And running a 2000 Server OS on it would be too slow/insecure/etc/overkill. Just download Smoothwall or something. It isn't really linux to most people, just a web interface. You'll never have to deal with anything past clicking on stuff in a web browser window.
 
Originally posted by mjones73
Again, I'd suggest you look into Linux or BSD distro's targeted at firewall/routing use. Windows 2000 would make a horrible firewall. You should really have your firewall and file server on seperate hardware too.
Click to expand...

First of all I'd like to point out that I like the way you think.

Do it right the first time is the best of all troubleshooting methods.

I do have another computer I could use as the firewall and could use this win 2000 computer as the file server? :dunno:

My first question is how do I burn that 5.1gigs onto different cd's? I didn't see a text file that told me so I'm a bit lost on how to put these cd's onto disk.
 
Yall are getting too technical. Please TYPE OUT WHAT I NEED TO DO.

I figure install linux somehow from the 5 gig's I"ve downloaded and then from there isntall a firewall program.

Okay... now. You said a file server. I'm assuming a seperate computer to run win2000 from and act as a fileserver for the other computers. Needless to say the linux computer will be on another SEPERATE computer. I'm also guessing a POS computer (p2 - 200 ) will work fine for a firewall.

I know I have a lot of work but hopefully if I do it right the first time I will only have to do it once.
 
Linux has built in routing and firewall capabilities, there's nothing to install once you have an OS instance of it running. Just for ease of figuring it out I'd suggest a Linux distro that was put together solely for that purpose. Check out http://www.smoothwall.org and http://www.clarkconnect.org for starters, there are many others out there you can use also, I'm sure some people here would be happy to point them out. If you go that route, it'll be a lot easier and you'll know the firewall is set up right from the get go.

As for your fileserver 2000 will work, I just wouldn't run 2000 on your firewall.
 
Originally posted by mjones73
As for your fileserver 2000 will work, I just wouldn't run 2000 on your firewall.
Click to expand...
Okay, I am coming from a Win98 environment where I was told NEVER to have file and print sharing turned on, even behind my broadband router, if I wished to have a reasonably secure network. With my new Win2K PCs, I was planning on installing Linux on one of the older PCs and use it for file and print sharing.

Is that a reasonable plan, or would it be better as has been suggested here, making the Linux/SmoothWall PC the firewall and one of the Win2K PCs the file and print server?
 
Is that a reasonable plan, or would it be better as has been suggested here, making the Linux/SmoothWall PC the firewall and one of the Win2K PCs the file and print server?
Click to expand...

I just recommend dedicating one machine to firewall duties, wouldn't use it for anything else.
 
I have seen several suggestions for using SmoothWall instead of a broadband router, even with "old" hardware. But what about download speeds and latency issues? I can't get over the thought of running a broadband signal through our P3-450 with 192MB, 8.4GB 5400RPM drive and two 10/100 NICs.

Obviously, I need to do some research about SmoothWall, but it would be useful to know at the beginning whether this is an issue or not.
 
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