[Tfug] Somebody else's firewll

[Bill M.]

Erich,
  Some thoughts about firewall options:

>       I'm talking about the average consumer who wants to subscribe to 
> cable or DSL. They
> provide a box that comes with the installation, (or so I understand), 
> that stops unauthorized
> connections to your box(es) on the other side.
> 
>       I'm building up a box in my shop right now and I wonder if it's 
> worth the effort to install
> two NIC's such that I have a barrier between me and the cable/DSL company.

I've had an old, low-end PC running Smoothwall (http://smoothwall.org) 
in front of the PCs at home off a Cox cable modem. The Windows boxes 
have been patched on a regular basis, but never any problems with any of 
the worms, IP floods, etc. Smoothwall is fabulous: firewall (IP_Tables), 
proxy (Squid), IDS (Snort), VPN, SSH. All of the post-install 
configuration and log viewing/options setting is done via a network 
logon to a great set of web pages. It's free, a small download, has a 
great support community, good documentation, and did I mention it's FREE?
If you're going to do the PC with dual NICs, I highly recommend 
Smoothwall as a serious contender.

-*-Bill