[Spinmove8]

Thanks for your help in advance - I am setting up a small office network with the following:

3 new Dell PC's running XP-Pro
2 new laptops running XP-Pro
2 printers that need to be accessed by all systems
1 3COM Office Connect 8 port hub
1 4 port/wireless Verizon DSL router

This will be a wired network and I need one of the desktops to run as an internet "filter" for all of the other systems (possibly a domain controller if I can figure that out)- I was planning to connect this "filter" system to
1) the DSL router through one ethernet port and
2) to the hub (and subsequently all other PCs & printers) through a second port -
Are there better configurations? Any security ideas for this "filter" server. Thanks again for any help - This is my first network setup attempt.

 

[Paladin-X]

I don't know anything about a filter, but for a domain controller, you will need either a Windows Server OS (NT, 2000, or 2003) or Linux (I think it was Samba that can do domain controlling for a windows domain network). Coming back to filtering, wouldn't your router be able to do that? As for the printers, are they network printers or do they have to be hooked up to systems?

 

[Spinmove8]

Thanks - I'll look into doing that with the router- The printers are network printers - Thanks again

 

[NervNick]

As far as the filtering, if you do want to set up on pc to do the filetering, I am not sure of the exact software you would use on the pc, but the physical layout would be Cable or DSL modem going directly to the Filter PC, then a second network card in that pc, leading to the router, which would have DHCP disabled. You would then plug all the rest of the pc's into the router or have them connect wirelessly. On the Filter pc, you would set it up to connect to the internet, then enable internet connection sharing. Set all the other pc's to obtain ip automaticlly. From there you would be able to set what ever kind of filter on the "Proxy" pc. But the previous poster probably has the better way of going at it. Let the router do the filtering. Are you trying to limit access to certian websites, or just certain ports you do not want open? If websites is the problem, you would have to subscribe to a service such as net nanny, or try one of the free ones out there. Just simple ports, the router can handle it extremely well. Some firewalls, ie watchgaurds and such, can block all traffic except from certain websites. This can easily become a pain. You would have to enter every website that you want access too. or don't.

 

[johnwill]

If you really want a configurable firewall computer, check out Smoothwall.

Why do you feel the need to "filter" the Internet, what are you trying to accomplish?