Bob Wright wrote:
(I currently use Linksys Network cards and 10/100
> switches on my home LAN).
> Then, we use Wingate to connect the four other PCs on the LAN to
> the Internet. The Wingate provides a complete firewall...
>     Wingate article:  http://nospin.com/pc/pcs04-04.html

   I use the same setup as Bob on my home network (D-Link's Network in a
box kit) with two machines using the D-Link cards and a third with a
3Com card and my laptop is the fourth with a 3Com PC card. Our Internet
sharing is though Sygate (http://www.sygate.com) which cost about $40
for a 4-user license. It works well and I have used Wingate before and
it is an equally good solution. We're not on cable or DSL yet so just
have an external modem that hits about 51 Kb on the designated server
(by Sygate) computer. I recently got a copy of Norton Firewall from
Symantec Press and it looks pretty good. I'll use it for sure when we
get broadband service.

  I don't think it particularly matters which machine is designated as
the "firewall" machine on Robert Turnbull's proposed home network. What
does matter is you have a software firewall protection for all clients.
Popular software programs include ZoneAlarm, Black Ice, and now the
Norton Firewall program. If you use a proxy server you will have some
protection at that end, alhough if you have cable service the protection
on your end would depend on the setup of your particular cable
provider...some are more prone to hackers than others.


Later,


Russell Smith
Edtech Consultant, Journalist
Region 14 ESC Abilene
http://camalott.com/~rssmith
mailto:[log in to unmask]

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