Choosing a Router/Firewall for the Home LAN

Dr. Zowie asks: "How should one choose a router for a home LAN? We just added a few hosts on our home ethernet, which is connected via DSL. There are an amazing number of new entries into the market for routers and even stand-alone firewalls. NetGear, Linksys, SMC, and even Panasonic all have boxen in the $99-$300 range, each of which will do some combination of NAT, routing, source-IP filtering, port filtering, and content filtering."

"It's not at all obvious from the packaging, the web sites, or the drool-proof pamphlets in the boxes which routers will do what. For example, we'd like to pass through packets for our two server machines, and use NAT/DHCP on a third address for the rest of the LAN. Nearly all the boxes advertise that they can do NAT routing, but many don't support NAT and static-IP routing simultaneously.

Die-hards will insist that one should run a standalone box with dual ethernet cards and the appropriate routing goodies -- but these standalone boxes, at 5-15 watts and a couple hundred bucks, seem like comparatively hassle-free solution. Which one do you use?"

Comments

"boxen"

[ravrazor]

i would like to point out that someone who is looking for an pre-packaged alternative to a couple hours spent installing linux on a old computer just used the term "boxen", thus demonstrating that this word is, and never has been "cool" or "with-it".

if you are going to call a computer a 'box', at least pluralize it like a regular english speaking human.

Priceless

[DigiBoi]

Compaq 486/66: Free
2 old NICs sitting on shelf: Free
OpenBSD: Free

Laughing at hax0rs trying to hack your Bridge Firewall: Priceless.

Re:Harddriveless

[NullGrey]

I made an adjustment to mine while it was running to eliminate the noise. Here's how I did it:

1.) Take a size 11 Timberland hiking boot.
2.) Put it on your foot
3.) Slam it into the side of the case.
4.) Repeat #3 as necessary.

HTH.