Router Firewall Suggestions

SlickSlick Upstate New York
edited August 2003 in Science & Tech
I am thinking of buying a router for the soul purpose of the firewall included with one. I currently have a hub, and my ISP gives me 3 IP addresses so I wouldn't really need one, but like I said, I want to use it more as an external firewall.

What 4 or 5 port router do you guys think has the best firewall. I am looking for something under $100.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Linksys BEFSR41 is cheap and effective for your purposes.
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    this is the one I use, and have had no problems with anything :)

    http://www.linksys.com/Products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=29&prid=20

    (the same one thrax reccomended)
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited August 2003
    Why on earth would you use a Linksys Router if you had 253 users to support? I love marketting pitches.. :P

    Likewise, I have to suggest the BEFSR41.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited August 2003
    Thrax said
    Linksys BEFSR41 is cheap and effective for your purposes.

    Thrax is on the money with this one.
  • TBonZTBonZ Ottawa, ON Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Another vote for the linksys, I have owned one for 2 years now and give it a big thumbs up. :thumbsup:
  • SlickSlick Upstate New York
    edited August 2003
    Now with this I configure which ports I forward and what not, Only thing that is throwing me off is they call it a switch.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    It's a router WITH a switch.
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited August 2003
    There's not a lot of difference between a router and switch on the consumer level, that I've seen. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you plug in, and it doesn't work, chances are the fact that it's a switch isn't going to help you :D
  • tophericetopherice Oak Ridge, TN
    edited August 2003
    I agree with Thrax the BEFSR41 is great choice.
    Slick... A switch is layer 2 device that filters and forwards packets between LAN segments. A router is a layer 3 device that uses headers and routing tables to forward traffic and typically connect LAN's and WAN's.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Think of it in the sense of enterprise-class equipment.

    Routers usually have a single WAN port, a console serial port, an uplink port, and an auxilliary serial port, and that's about it. It routes by TCP/IP.

    Switches have one uplink port, and a whole lot-o-traffic ports. It routes by MAC address.

    With the Linksys router, the routing functions are combined with 1, 4, 8, or 16 traffic ports. It's not a switch by software/firmware, but by appearance and function it is, using TCP/IP to route over multiple ports.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    edited August 2003
    Quote-
    Linksys BEFSR41 is cheap and effective for your purposes.

    Thats what I use, No problems with it at all.

    bothered.
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