[Leaplist] Choosing a Hardware Firewall Device

[William H. Ferguson]

Thank you, Patrick Berry,  for helping me to grasp a little more re just
what  a Hardware Firewall is.  (Your post is below this message)

At first I thought you guys were speaking of strictly Software
Firewalls.
I thought "ipcop" was  installed on one's Desktop and that's where it
did its work.

But now you're explaining that you install "ipcop" on a dedicated
HARDWARE computer.

And you've explained that it doesn't have to be a very sophisticated
computer.
I have an older computer which should handle the job.

I have also downloaded ipcop. 

I'm shame-faced to have to report that I don't know anything about how
to install a downloaded ".tgz" file. Friends send me music clips or
movie clips from time-to-time but I have never been able to open them.
It's embarrassing when a friend tells me that his Windows system opens
all of those type of
files without her even thinking about it.

When I attempt to open such a downloaded file my screen often  reports
that I need one or other Adobe program. I have tried many times to open
a downloaded Adobe program but something eludes me about how to open and
install and save the program. 

Guidance appreciated.

William


On Fri, 2008-08-08 at 18:14 -0400, patrick wrote: 
> William H. Ferguson wrote:
> > With Hank Lambert's tip I searched "newegg" for hardware-type Firewall
> > devices. I found a good number of them advertised there. (And on e-bay)
> > 
> > My goal is to eventually set up a wireless network for the two people in
> > my home.
> > So my network wouldn't be very big, obviously.
> > 
> > Would any Leaplist subscriber give me advice on which is the least
> > expensive hardware Firewall which experience has taught is one which
> > does a good job for such a small network? 
> > 
> > I read enough to understand, now, that Firewall hardware ranges from
> > very
> > inexpensive to several thousand dollars in price.
> > 
> > Thanks for your experience and advice,
> > 
> > William
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> As mentioned recently, in another thread, on this list, many of the
> Leapsters run a hardware firewall built on an older computer using an
> install of IPCOP.   http://ipcop.org
> 
> I have seen everything used, from a Pentium 1, 90MHz, to a PIII at
> 1.5GHz.  Memory requirements are minimal, at 16MB, though some folks put
> in 32MB or more! Hard drives range from 1 GB up.
> 
> First one I built was a P1, 90, with 16MB RAM, and a 1 GB drive. After
> the install, we can leave in the CDrom, or remove it.  CDroms are cheap,
> now, so I leave it in.  Then, it needs two NICs for the Red / Green ports.
> 
> We only use a keyboard and a monitor to initialize it.  After the build,
> it is administered remotely.
> 
> Do you have some hardware for this project?  Or, do you want to use
> something one of us can bring to the Installfest?
> 
> Some of us have dozens of old systems in the garage, or our sheds out
> back.  I know I have about 15 to 30 systems, in both locations, and the
> wife would cheer my reluctant release of one (or more!) to further the
> joy of others!
> 
> 


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