Firewall PC Network Setup

[regiemon]

I have a Linksys WRT54G router, 8 port hub, 5 Desktop Computers.

My broadband internet connected to my router then hub is connected to the router to share internet access.

But I have a plan to setup a firewall computer.

A friend advices me if will setup a firewall computer

I should attached the cables of firewall computer, cable 1 to router then cable 2 to last port of hub.

He said the firewall computer will filter all incoming data before sending it to other computer that is the reason why it was connected to the last port of the hub. He said that the last port is First In Last Out (FILO).

Is this true? what is the process of a hub?

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Your "firewall" computer will not filter internetwork traffic. You can only set it up to filter stuff off the internet.

However with the PC firewalls I have worked with, you usually have your firewall doing routing as well. Infact, it needs to route.

 

[Ethereal_Dragon]

With a hub, FILO doesn't really apply.... it is a SHARED medium. meaning that if Joe's PC on port 1 sends a packet to Jane's PC on port 5 of the 8 port hub, the packet goes out EVERY port except the one it was recieved on. A SWITCH is different. It uses the physical address (MAC Address) to 'switch' the packets, so that the packet is ONLY sent out on Port 5 to Jane's computer.

 

[Dngrsone]

What software are you going to use on the firewall? Like Dragon says, the port on the hub shouldn't matter, though I like to use the first one for the internet cable (coming from firewall).

 

[regiemon]

How do I setup my firewall computer?
my purpose of setting up a firewall computer is also to install anti spyware so i don't need to install any anti software on any workstation.because other workstation has a low specification.if i install antivirus,firewall,antispyware,it will decrease their speed.

 

[regiemon]

Would like to use smoothwall

What software are you going to use on the firewall? Like Dragon says, the port on the hub shouldn't matter, though I like to use the first one for the internet cable (coming from firewall).

 

[Dngrsone]

Would like to use smoothwall

Good choice. That's what I use.

Go to the Smoothwall site and download the Smoothwall Express 2.0. There is a 3.0 Alpha out, but it's just that, not quite ready for prime-time.

Read the Installation manual thoroughly, it's pretty easy to get going, the disk does all the partitioning and installation for you and leaves you only the specific setup details to worry about.

Surf the forums, there is a section with mods that can be added to your smoothie to do just about anything, including adding AV capability.