These SOHO "4-port routers" are really a 2-port router with a 4-port
*switch* on the LAN side, inside the same case.  Traffic between this fourth
computer and the other three won't really go through the *router* portion of
the device, so it will not get a chance to apply any security measures (IF
it offers any...) to that traffic.

  Your choices are where to firewall this:

1. On, or in front of, the fourth computer, restricting where it can talk
TO.  (Will the user(s) of this machine be able to turn off the firewall?  If
so, this is a poor choice....)

2. On, or in front of, the existing machines, restricting where they'll
accpet connections FROM.  (Better, but if done "on" then you need three
firewall instances.)

David Gillett


On 14 Aug 2004 at 13:56, David Farrington wrote:

> I have a Linksys router/switch connected to a cable internet connection.
> I have three XP Home edition computers connected to three of four ports
> of the router. All three computers are sharing files as well as the
> internet connection. Everything works fine.
>
> The fourth port of the router I would like to use it to connect another
> computer using XP Home edition. The difference here would be I don't
> this fourth computer to have access to my other three computers in
> anyway. I don't know the terms for this process or the set-up but I will
> say I want to let this fourth computer only have access to the internet
> and nothing else to do with the other three. First is isolating the
> fourth computer from my other three computer possible with my Linksys
> router (model BEFW11S4)? If so is it called tunneling or strapping this
> fourth computer? I am ok at finding information on the internet if I
> know some key words. I don't know the MAC address for the fourth
> computer's NIC but I can get it. If this process is simple please
> explain it to me.
>
> Thank you.
>
> David
>
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