10/19   Home Gateway recommendations wanted. I am thinking of getting
        a NetGear RP114. I use Pacbell DSL (dhcp not static ip). Any
        pros/cons to using this model? Is there a better one within
        the same price range? (approx $120). thanks.
        \_ I use a Linksys for around $98.  It has firewall, IPSEC
           support, 10/100 support.  No "parental control" though.
           \_ i recommend this too. who wants to futz with old, loud, bulky
              power-drawing pc's that you need a hub for anyway and are a pain
              to maintain and don't have instructions? i guess if you're too
              poor for 100 bucks or want to practice sysadminning use a pc.
           \_ i recommend this too. who wants to futz with old, loud,
              bulky power-drawing pc's that you need a hub for anyway and
                 with routers based on a general purpose computers if you
                 know what you're doing.
              are a pain to maintain and don't have instructions? i guess
              if you're too poor for 100 bucks or want to practice
              sysadminning use a pc.
              \_ Granted, the $100 broadband gateways also have many
                 \_ true enough. the firewalls in the cheap routers are pretty
                    limited. don't block outgoing traffic for one thing.
                 \_ the decision is really between how much time you're willing
                    to invest for the features you need.  FreeBSD/Linux router
                    is more configurable and probably cheaper.  Off-the-shelf
                    router is easier to configure (well, they're pre-configured)
                    but won't be as configurable.
                 limitations. You can do lots of advanced and cool stuff
                 with routers based on general purpose computers if you
                 know what you're doing. The disadvantages of using a PC
                 as a gateway, on the other hand, are the heat, noise, and
                 maitenance costs as you mention it.
                 \_ true enough. the firewalls in the cheap routers are
                    pretty limited. don't block outgoing traffic for one
                    thing.
                 \_ the decision is really between how much time you're
                    willing to invest for the features you need.  FreeBSD
                    or Linux router is more configurable and probably cheaper.
                    Off-the-shelf router is easier to configure (well, they
                    are pre-configured) but won't be as configurable.
                 \_ My openbsd box is also dns host for my domains, dhcp, nat,
                    ssh server, packet filter, email, www server, etc, etc.
                    Built from hw people give away free with a free OS you
                    can't beat the price.  Power and heat and noise?  I don't
                    sleep next to it.  It just sits there humming.  You don't
                    have to overclock it.  A p5 system is quieter than anything
                    you'll buy today, doesn't use much more power than your
                    linksys and does more.  It's your choice.
        \_ Or try an old 386 with *BSD on it.
        \_ running a p100 with linux 2.4 on it.
        \_ I run a Sparc20 with OpenBSD--it's a bit loud, but works great.
           I run ipfilter/ipnat, and draw dhcp on the outside, and serve
           private dhcp out of four interfaces; also ntp forwarder, dns
           forwarder out the internal interface (very cool if you have more
           than one machine and want dns even if your link dies.)  This is
           the best and most flexible (and cheapest) option if you are willing
           to put a little time into setting it up.  -John
                \_ does one have to be a net guru, or are there
                   instructions (web/book) easily available? thx.
                   \_ ipfilter is pretty well documented at
                        <DEAD>coombs.anu.edu/au/ipfilter<DEAD>  NTP is at
                        http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp , a good dhcp
                        implementation is at http://www.isc.org FreeBSD
                        is at http://www.freebsd.org and google is your
                        friend.  And you can always ask nicely when the docs
                        don't float your boat 8)  -John
                        \_ The openbsd FAQ at http://openbsd.org is pretty useful
                           too.
           \_ I agree, a SS20 + OpenBSD is makes a nice home gateway.
                        \_ ok thanks!
           \_ I agree, a SS20 + OpenBSD is makes a nice home gateway. I use
              mine to do ipfilter/ipnat, dhcp for my nat'ed systems, mail
              (postfix + imap) for my domain, web caching and http. I'm
              planning to set it up to handle mail to news for some email
              lists I read and I'll probably put my internal cvs repository
              on it as well.
              I figured most of it out from the FAQ on http://www.openbsd.org If
              you want a printed book I'd recommend Building Linux and OpenBSD
              firewalls by Sonnenreich and Yates. ----ranga
              \_ wow, someone else who bought that book.  Anyway yeah the
                 book is pretty good, but alas only covers ipchains.  ipchains
                 and ipfw suck because they are stateless, they can't tell
                 one connection from another by the packets... which make
                 you just a little bit more vulnerable.  Anyway, if you care
                 enough you might want to go with ipf or iptables to get
                 that extra check.  And then run snort or lids.  One
                 annoying thing about the book, is that it is rather redhat
                 based for the linux side, and who the hell uses redhat for
                 a firewall in their right mind?
                 \_ uh, what's wrong with redhat as a firewall?
                    \_ it has all the security features that make win98
                    under OpenBSD.
                       a desireable firewall platform.
                 \_ The book covers ipfilter and state-full firewalling
                    under OpenBSD. I can't comment on the linux bits,
                    as I don't really care about linux.