Originally posted here by mickylittle2000
thanx all of u.... i have a low budget....and its for my personal use only...nothing professional...so i guess the 486 and the linux solution is good...as all of u say but the thing is i havent even touched linux yet...and no nothing about iptables and all.... so the problem still remains.. i guess i have to go in for a NAT only...
There is only one way to learn how to use Linux... And that is to use it. Go out and find the best deal you can for a cheap box. You will also need two NICs(Network Interface Cards) in the box.

If you only have one workstation then you don't need a hub/switch, just a crossover cable to connect the router to the workstation.

As for the linux distro I would recommend something light. I.E Debian or Slackware, or a distro on a disk such as the Linux Router Project or FREESCO.

You can easily find pre-made ipchains/tables scripts that will work in your situation.

If you encounter problems along the way, you can be sure that someone on the net will be able to help you. After finishing this project you will be left with an excellent firewall and a good understanding of the Linux OS.

Links:
http://www.Debian.org
http://www.slackware.org
http://www.linuxrouter.org
http://www.freesco.org

Originally posted here by VictorKaum
Low budget, use a 80486 or a pentium I with a linux on a floppy firewall, easy to install, secure enough and good performance. If you want to upgrade your network, no problem update your hardware or linux software and everything is running fine again... great performance for a low price (FREE !!!).

try bbiagent
You don't need to be a linux guru at all to get this to work. You only need a 80386 or better, 8 Mb Ram, 2 Network Interface Cards (linux compatible) and a xDSL modem. Configuration is made through your internet browser by typing the gateway/firewall local ip adress.

www.bbiagent.com
www.bbiagent.net
I tried this one. And to be honest, I was NOT impressed. All of the initial configuration is done through a java applet on their website. Then, based on your settings, it provides you with a boot image.

Then, after you have booted the disk, they expect you to do ALL of the configuration from some stupid java applet that connects to a telnet port on the router!!

Well, that may be ok, but what if after you boot your network doesn't work?

There is no way to access the router locally using a monitor and keyboard... the distro does NOT include TTYs!! That is just plain stupid if you ask me.

Anyways, that is just my experience.. It may work just fine for other people.

--Sudo