SoulSe Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 I'm looking for gateway/firewall/router software in the spirit of SME-Server (from e-smith). Problem with e-smith is that it is a developer's version and you have to purchase the commercial version for everything, I've also encountered problems with it. The other option I discovered was Clarkconnect. Paul posted about it in another thread about firewalling. Is this the schizniks? They have a horrible website that isn't very helpful... And then I know that Mandrake has a similar solution (can't remember it's name though) has anyone tried this? The main features I need are the following: - Easy to use WebGUI / wizards - Remote administration - PPPoE Broadband connectivity - Firewall - DHCP - Routing (bandwidth shaping would be nice) As this will be a dedicated server, I would like to use a dedicated server distro, so please don't post about the Uber-box, Coyote Linux or similar solutions. I'm looking for a built-for-the-kill free (or cheap) server solution with a good interface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 Have you checked out IPcop and its father Smoothwall? I prefer IPcop but they are both excellent firewalls. Opps, never mind neither of those will work for you. I just reread your post before hitting send and you want it to be a server also. The 2 I sugested are firewalls and firewalls only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 I have used e-smith and MandrakeMNF .. both are very nice and each have thier advantages. e-smith has apache/php/mysql/samba etc etc etc. everything basically. MNF has ipchains / iproute2 and is a very strong and secure firewall. if its a firewall that you want, then use Mandy, if its for a client and they say things like "but I want ... and I want .... anb I want ...." then use e-smith I've downloaded clarkconnect. everthing I've read about it says it is the bomb, but it doesn't like the video vard in my lappie, so installation hangs :( ... one day I'll try it on a diferent machine ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted May 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Thanks paul. Maybe I should do both, ie. install MNF on a an old Pentium-2 box just for the firewalling and use e-smith on a beefier box for the rest... I see that Clarkconnect has a module for bandwidth shaping as well.... hmmm. I guess I'll just have to download them all and play around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted May 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Oh, I also do NOT need a webserver, email server or any of that. Just the stuff I mentioned above... so maybe MNF will cut the cheese on its own... Also, I need to be pretty restrictive with DHCP, so that only machines whose MAC strings I have given the server will be allowed to get issued and access the net. I will probably be going wireless, so this is a crucial requirement. Don't want to have to deal with war-drivers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 SME server is very good at douing what it does. That is the firewall, mail and http server BUT its a pain in the butt to do someything outside the box specs. Like phpBB etc. you CAN do it but you need to do it a bit differently..... the webmail is REALLY COOL.... However if you dont want this (as you say) then its really extra baggage so MNF is prob. better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphitus Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 (edited) There is nothing better than smoothwall. http://www.smoothwall.org screenies http://smoothwall.org/about/screenshots/ dont waste your time looking at anything else apart from a manual setup or a hardware setup Edited May 24, 2004 by iphitus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted May 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 There is nothing better than smoothwall. http://www.smoothwall.org screenies http://smoothwall.org/about/screenshots/ dont waste your time looking at anything else apart from a manual setup or a hardware setup Looks very cool iph! What makes it different/better than MNF though? They seem to be VERY similar... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Id say support.... the smoothwall OS community I guess are pretty good (obviously not as good as MUB :D) wheras MNF is pretty much a commercial diversion for Mandrake ... and Mandrake OFFICIAL support is hardly world shaking ... Smoothwall is the Firewall whereas MNF is just another product for MDK ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 iphitus I earlier suggested IPcop or Smoothwall but upon reading SoulSes original post again I still think you and I are on the wrong track. They are looking for a combination firewall and server. Both the distros you and I suggested are dedicated barebones firewalls and using them for anything at else is at best a security risk. *cough* IPcops better *cough* :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphitus Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 iphitus I earlier suggested IPcop or Smoothwall but upon reading SoulSes original post again I still think you and I are on the wrong track. They are looking for a combination firewall and server. Both the distros you and I suggested are dedicated barebones firewalls and using them for anything at else is at best a security risk. *cough* IPcops better *cough* :D Soulse listed these features - Easy to use WebGUI / wizards - Remote administration - PPPoE Broadband connectivity - Firewall - DHCP - Routing (bandwidth shaping would be nice) Smoothwall has them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 iphitus I earlier suggested IPcop or Smoothwall but upon reading SoulSes original post again I still think you and I are on the wrong track. They are looking for a combination firewall and server. Both the distros you and I suggested are dedicated barebones firewalls and using them for anything at else is at best a security risk. *cough* IPcops better *cough* :D erm from the original post its not meant to be running anything except DHCP and basically acting as a router. Which is I guess what smoothwall amongst others are for! However if later he wants to run NFS or SAMBA or a web server/ftp server/time server etc. then a fuller solution is perhaps worth the investment (time) up front. I just restarted using SME sever 6.01 after the FULLY OPENSOURCE contribs.org version split from MITEL. I stopped using it because MITEL had a best viewed with internet explorer on their site. (or at least that was a trigger) SoulSe.... if you wanna look pm me and Ill set you up a password etc. although I need to be home since I didnt enable remote admin yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Also from the original post: As this will be a dedicated server, I would like to use a dedicated server distro, so please don't post about the Uber-box, Coyote Linux or similar solutions. I'm looking for a built-for-the-kill free (or cheap) server solution with a good interface. Now if thats changed and he's looking for a dedicated firewall I'm back with my original suggestion then, IPcop. To misquote wimamp, it kicks that llamas @$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted May 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Smoothwall seems to be exactly what I was looking for, so I'm going to try that out and let you all know how it goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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