Hard or soft???

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Edvardas

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I will need to setup a small network at my aunts house. At this moment it will have about 4 PC.
The main question is what to choose:
A hardware router or a software router (running on LINUX or Win).
What would be the best solution. My budget is limited (realy limited).
Thank you for your time.
 
C

CALV

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depends how limited your funds are and what "bits" you already have available, for example <A HREF="http://www.freesco.org" target="_new">freesco</A> is a linux distro that runs on a floppy, this is what I use as my firewall/router. It doesnt need a hard drive, and will do the job easily on a 486.


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
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Edvardas

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at this moment I dont have anything.
Somewhere I think I had an old P75.
And in my aunts house there are only PC, no cables, network Cards, no nothing.
That means I will have to do everything.
 
L

Lars_Coleman

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Spend the money and get a hardware firewall. I've heard good things about the Linksys, DLink, and the SMC routers. I'm still on dial-up so I have no idea for personal use! :frown:

<font color=red>People and hard drives are like bandwagon fans and sports!</font color=red>
 
C

CALV

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I've also heard good things about the above, but if money is tight, and you do have an old pc then maybe that would be the best option, of course it also depends on your level of technical knowledge/ability, but since you are setting up the lan, I assume you are technical enough. freesco is dead easy to setup, and works well for me, I have 4 more pc's plugged in there, and its just a matter of plugging in a new pc to the switch if I need to add anymore.


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
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btvillarin

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Hey Calv,
I checked out Freesco, and it seems a little harder to set up than BBIagent. I'm not even sure if my network cards are compatible with it. And how would I get my printer to be served with it? I have a Xerox DocuPrint M760. Can you help me out?

Edvardas, another alternative to Freesco is <A HREF="http://www.bbiagent.com/en" target="_new">BBIagent</A>. But, it doesn't as much features as Freesco. I didn't feel overwhelmed reading about it, but there isn't that much documentation about changing its options and stuff.

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>
 
Z

Zlash

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You need 2 Nics in the host computer, and a crossover cable going from one of the nics to the other machine with the i-net connection coming into the other nic. Then you go set up the connection sharing on the nic that is connected tot he other PC through network properties on it.

Not the best description i know =\.

<font color=red>:</font color=red> <font color=white>:</font color=white> <font color=blue>:</font color=blue>
 
B

btvillarin

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<font color=green>How about just set up the ICS come with windows? It comes free with windows and you do not need to dedicate a system for router.</font color=green>

To answer that question, the dedicated machine is a Pentium I with barely any memory, a small hard drive, and a non-working CD-ROM. So, that can't even run Windows 95 stable. It's been giving my uncle problems, so he said I could do whatever I wanted with it. That's why it's running BBIagent.

Hey <b>Zlash</b>, you pretty much explained it alright. The BBIagent has two NICs. One goes to the DSL modem with a straight CAT5 cable, and the other connects to the NIC on my main computer with a crossover CAT5 cable. For now, it's only set up this way because:

1) It is always connected to the ADSL dynamic IP connection. I don't have to worry about IP settings on my main computer since it's served by BBIagent from DHCP.
2) It's a hardware firewall. If a port gets hacked, which chances are kind of slim, then they'll only see what's on the old computer, not my main one.
3) It boots to a floppy, and doesn't need the monitor, keyboard, mouse, hard drive, or CD-ROM.

When I need to begin networking, I'll purchase a switch, and connect to the other computers with straight cables. (By the way, I'm really satisfied with the way it's set up.)

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>
 
C

CALV

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Btvill,

I setup freesco easilly, took literally 10 minutes, it just a matter of answering yes or no most of the time during the setup. Im not sure about the printer as I only use mine for the wall/router and have a 2k server box running with the printer on that one, but I do have in my favorites a message board similar to this but that is just for freesco issues, I'll have a look when I get home and get back to you.


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
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Stick_e_Mouse

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OpenBSD on an old 486 is about the best firewall you could possibly have for your home network. Although it takes alot of effort and hours to get it up and running, you and your computer's safety and privacy is well worth the trouble.
You can get an old comp from GoodWill for like $10, and OpenBSD is free (if you do a network/ftp install).

<b><font color=blue>VIA chipsets, SiS chipsets -- all the same, all made in TAIWAN!!!
 
S

Stick_e_Mouse

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OpenBSD on an old 486 is about the best firewall you could possibly have for your home network. Although it takes alot of effort and hours to get it up and running, you and your computer's safety and privacy is well worth the trouble.
You can get an old comp from GoodWill for like $10, and OpenBSD is free (if you do a network/ftp install).



<b><font color=blue>VIA chipsets, SiS chipsets -- all the same, all made in TAIWAN!!!
 
C

CALV

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Sorry, didnt get home till very late yesterday- went on a "10 minute" job after work and it took longer than explected, I'll get you the info tonight.



If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
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btvillarin

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It's cool, CALV...no worries. Thanks for remembering.

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>
 
C

CALV

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ok, had a quick look through the forums <A HREF="http://www.freescosoft.com" target="_new">here</A>, but didnt come up with a great deal of info, but <A HREF="http://www.freescosoft.com/cgi-bin/ib3-freesco/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=4;t=101;hl=fnkydrmr" target="_new">this</A> may help

If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
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btvillarin

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Thanks for the link to the thread. I think I'm just gonna jump in. I mean, if I can't get it to work, my BBIagent floppy can be booted back up in a matter of (60) seconds - it's real slow. :lol:

Thanks again!
Bryan

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>
 
C

CALV

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yeah, go for it, I used to run redhat as my wall/router till I discovered freesco, and I had the same idea as you- if it doesnt work, it doesnt matter as its only a floppy and takes no time at all to setup, anyhow, let me know how you get on plz


If they squeeze olives to get olive oil, how do they get baby oil?
 
B

btvillarin

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Of course...I'll post back A.S.A.T.T. (as soon as there's time). :wink:

<font color=red><A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> - My Windows XP-based Website</font color=red>
 
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