RE: Home Environment Cisco

["R. DuFresne" <dufresne () sysinfo com>]

        [SNIP]

> I've been using Solaris, Linux, Windows, *BSD, and security
> appliances for several years too.  I would agree with Ben
> Nagy's recommendation (Cisco 17xx) or Wes Noonan (PIX 5xx),
> or consider a Netscreen 25.  Any of those are probably
> overkill--but they're all featureful, reliable, and *much*
> easier to configure in my experience than iptables/pf/ipfilter.
>
> I have no issue with advocacy, and I currently use all three
> of the above $freely-available-packet-filter implementations
> for Real Work...but I'd prefer we try to answer the question
> asked with a more appropriate response.  Just my suggestion,
> anyway.

And yet, prior to the sudden appearance of all the blackbox security
devices hitting the market in recent years, this was probably one of the
most common answers to such questions through the early 90's here and on
the old <defunct?> firewalls list for homeuser options and 'get it up
quick and cheap' solutions.  And, still not too awfully bogus and answer
in this day and age either.  Especially, considering the vast number of
cheapo boxes that can handle this task without any real bit to the wallet
in the backside.  I was looking at the anything.pc.com website just today,
and a 450mhz dell box, 65 gig drive, 128 megs ram, and a few other odds
and ends probably not needed for the task as a fw/router was a mere 175!
The local wantads almost anyplace can supply something on the same cost
range for a person.  Saves that SUN system at home from being wasted to
this task, and still comes off cheaper, even adding a monitor and
keyboard, should they not come with the box, then many of the soho
solutions offered.  Support?  irc channels on most any irc network can
help there, not to mention that those that still remember and use usenet
has a proliferation of comp.os... groups.

I was surprised it took as long as it did for that answer to hit the list,
not long ago it would have been perhaps the first through the tenth or
more reply...

Thanks,


Ron DuFresne
-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        admin & senior security consultant:  sysinfo.com
                        http://sysinfo.com

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