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Quote:
Originally posted here by brokencrow
You're going about it the right way. Lots of computers, lots of different looks for your network, you'll have fun learning the network stuff. You'll find a series of network tools will give you a good idea of what's going on within your network at any given time: ettercap, ethereal, gfi languard, to name a few.
As for compromising security, learn to keep an eye on things and note unusual traffic. The biggest security holes your network can have are already there: users!
:p
I totally agree, I believe that you have a good start
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Smoothwall, IP Cop, or any gateway will act as a DHCP server. I found both to be easily configurable. And I've always run non-programmable hubs and switches behind them to the rest of the network.
Routers are more problematic behind a gateway because, by default, they're performing some of the same functions. If you use the gateway (Smoothwall, etc.) as the DHCP server on the same network, you'll need to disable that function. Some others too maybe (NAT?).
You're just going to have to experiment with what works for you and your gear. I've seen all sorts of odd setups in my time. A wireless Netgear wireless router behind a Belkin router (it worked). He-heh, one guy (a computer shop!) was even running his cable modem into a hub, pulling ip addresses for all five of his computers from his ISP. Nothing like turning your LAN into a WAN.
I first ran a Smoothie behind a Linksys firewall. I didn't know how well it would work and wanted my co-workers to still have the option of rebooting the router in case of any connection problems. The Linksys' DMZ was set to the Smoothwall, which sat in front a webserver. Learning to read logs on that system really opened my eyes as to who comes a-knockin' some nights.
Currently I'm using a switch behind IP Cop, no routers in the mix but a hub upstairs, again in front of my servers. Sometimes I run sniffers like Ethereal to keep an eye on traffic there. Hubs make for easier sniffing.
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excellent, thnx for all the replies guys (wow, didnt mean for that to rhyme)
i looked into ipcop and found out it was stateful which is fine with me (application layer is always a nice added feature but it looked like it may do a little of that too). i guess i can just turn off the dhcp and w/e else i need to. there website told me i could vmware it as well, which isnt a bad idea just to check my setup and make sure it works before setting up a box (already have vmware on my laptop so thats cool). Im really liking this whole free software old pc idea for the external firewall and it looks like itll work fine (if not above and beyond expectations!). I also noticed it had an IDS which i was impressed with.
well, anyway, ill let u guys know how it turns out and thanks for all the feedback.
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I set up Smoothwall with three nics. The "red" nic for the WAN, the "green" nic for the LAN, and the "orange" nic for the DMZ. I had to fix the ip address for the orange nic, but it very effectively isolated any computer on it from the rest of the network. Came in handy for playing with virus-infected machines. I thought about running a "public access" wireless router from there for my neighbors to use. It'd be a secure way to do that, but I ruled it out for other reasons (bandwidth issues).
