Best firewall for home network?

[hammerhead]

Hi,

My small home network consists of five machines, two ATX boxes and three laptops. One box conects to my ISP via ADSL and is a DHCP server to the other machines.

In the past I had a dedicated LINUX <A HREF="http://www.smoothwall.org" target="_new"> Smoothwall </A> server but now, for reasons I won't bore you with, the server is running XP Pro.

Is there a Windows product that I can install on just the server, which will give me robust security approaching that of Smoothwall?

I don't mind the cost. Just don't want to be messing around with personal firewalls on every machine (apologies if this question is lame, the Smoothwall box was rock-solid for two years so I haven't kept up with firewall technology).

Cheers.

 

[TomaHawK]

hi,
would you please tell more about how your network actually looks e.g. are you using a dsl modem? a router? switches? are you just using a few standard programs not requiring a wide range of ports? tell me more and i will make a suggestion.

 

[hammerhead]

Cheers TomaHawk,

The server connects to the Net via an ADSL modem.

It serves my little network via an 8-port ethernet switch. One other machine is physically connected to that switch.

There is an 802.11b wireless AP plugged into the switch. The other machines have wireless adaptors.

No unusual programs. Just HTTP, FTP, and MSN Messenger (which my wife is addicted to!)

 

[Dev]

Tiny Firewall was free and good and you should be able to find an old version around the net. I've heard that the recent versions are not that good, but I can't give you specifics since I have never tried it. Otherwise, there's always ZoneAlarm (Pro version), Symantec and other also make firewalls. I tend to not like them since I just want to set up a table of allowed and denied ports and not have all kinds of different messages pop up.

Dev

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My Sig:
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[Bahumut]

Never seen Tiny, think I'll look into it.

If I must use a software firewall I usually use BlaceIce in conjunction with ZoneAlarm Pro.

BlackIce isn't really a firewall. What it does is stealth your ports and keep track of activities through those ports.
Works well with ZoneAlarm Pro as your firewall, but not necessary if you don't check logs.

If you have a friend that knows programming and networking (hacker), I'd have him build you a firewall. Homebuild firewalls tend to be smaller and work better.

This Tiny firewall might also be useful.

Pain is the realization of your own weakness.

 

[TomaHawK]

heh,
maybe you don`t wanna have a "(hacker)" script you a firewall..I´d suggest you get a router with a build in Firewall the D-link DI 604 would serve you well, it´s a router with an integrated 4 port switch, a firewall and parental control (in case your wife is browsing them naughty sites or block her MSN Messenger, harr harr ). It is very easy to set up. You connect and configure it via an ethernet cable and the configuration is "web-based" so no need to know any fancy commands. In addition to that you should install "an always-up-to-date" antivirusprogramm on every computer.

 

[hammerhead]

Cheers guys!

I'll go with Tomahawk's suggestion of hardware router with firewall. Straightforward, simple, safe.

Just like me

 

[tombance]

Yeah Hardware firewalls are the best, no crappy resource-hugging software to start up on each PC.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=6752830" target="_new">Yay, I Finally broke the 12k barrier!!</A>

 

[Bahumut]

I completely agree with Tomahawk that a hardware router is the safest and simplest alternative.
Hardware is always my first choice.

hammerhead asked for a windows product, so I assumed he wanted software.
That's what I gave him.

BTW, Tomahawk, who would know better than a hacker how to stop a hacker?
If the hacker is your friend, then why worry about him?
If you can't trust him with your firewall, then you might want to reconsider how much of a friend he is.
Besides, I said network programmer, not neccessarily hacker.
Hackers are simply goods examples that fall in that category.

Pain is the realization of your own weakness.