I installed that firewall on a Optiplex (don't remember the series, i just remember it's a small one) which has previously IPCop in order to block porn,gambling and so on in a elementary school. It works alright with HTTP requests, but at the time (we had limited time to install it) it wasn't blocking HTTPS [As of April-May 2018] so we needed to use in top of it OpenDNS.
I am using pfSense in a Mini PC, as my router - please, have a look for details: https://forums.mydigitallife.net/th...r-but-which-os-and-how-to-configure-it.78175/ Would IPFIRE work as a router, guys? Thanx!
IPFire can do multiple & separated sorts of sub-networks. For example mine has a secure layer as well as a guest layer. Using multiple NICs makes this pretty easy too.
Yeah but how exactly, please? I have 2 NICs (2 LAN ports), i.e. WAN and LAN and 1 USB2LAN adaptor, so a third NIC, kinda... And WiFi, of course. During the installation they are all sorted out (installed and connected) properly or I have to have a post-installation cha-cha dance (as in pfSense) to make it all work as a single point (bridging) or...??? Thanx!
No need to excuse yourself for anything! Deeply and highly appreciated!!! Does it have any WiFi boosting control, would you know, please? With pfSense, post installation, one must do the bridging... And one must have at least 3 NICS but my PC has 2. Plus one must add WiFi as the fourth bit manually. (But it's OK, with only 2 NICs/LAN ports, as I have an 8 port LAN switch behind it...) Hence the Q if it does the whole thing automatically during installation etc. Cheers, m8!!! I will study it, prepare, make a backup of my settings with pfSense, if this doesn't do what I need with what I've got and - have fun, I hope...
IIRC it can be set up to run right from a USB stick... I tried all the ones before on separate, spare HDDs & as each one showed its lacks, just re-used that HDD. Also AFAIK, you can use the nice, cheap USB NICs because it just uses MAC addresses - so add a couple more if need be. As for wifi, I just used a really good/new router for the internal NW & an old, cranky one for the 'guest' NW; never got into any sort of boosting - not even sure what that is about in terms of a FW distro ?? Best Wishes & post back how things work out for you, please.
The specs of the miniPC I bought are in my thread, please have a look... And yes, I have a couple more USB2LAN adaptors to add, as the PC has 4 or 6 USB 3.0 ports, thankfully. NW? Sorry, what is that? Network? I was going to do the grouping (encryption-based) by need (various pieces of HW in different rooms, to be in 2 differently encrypted groups of devices) and not by HW, say physical LAN ports - is that possible, please, did you see this in Fire? Thanx again - sorry, I have not had the time yet to study the links, it is 5am here, in the UK... But I will! What I also don't like about pfSense is the awkward GUI, badly grouped stuff in it, lack of various possibilities - it's almost as if they purposefully throw you in the deep guano so you would buy their "support".... It is a business after all...
Yes - NW = Network. The one I am very happy with is in a very confidential situation with a load of protected data. It has been solid for years. The internal NW is totally invisible to anyone outside, the guest NW hasn't been broken into or through, and the more powerful router has a DMZ which I've opened a couple of times as needed. In total it has 3 NICs - 1st for internet; 2nd for internal; 3rd for guest NW. It is not glitzy or fancy at all. The interface is very, umm....DOS-ish, but very easy to navigate IMO. There is of course management via browser access as well. I haven't needed to even turn on that PC's monitor in so long that I cannot recall when it was.
I see, thanx! WAN - for internet LAN - internal, home network WiFi - only as guest NW? You do not use any WiFi or...? So, WiFi is separate - completely? Not integrated/bridged? That, to me, for my family's needs is not completely OK, if I understood correctly, you see, hence the Q... Monitor is needed during the installation process and after that one manages it via browser, of course - sorry, I was referring to that, of course...
There are 2 wireless routers as I mentioned in #11. Both nice & tight & managed by IPFire - not sure what you mean by bridging... That is only a thing I use when I want to have 2 NICs in a win-doze box for 2x BW ?? As I've said - this has never yet had any problems, it is really THAT good !!
I believe you. The Q is if Fire is capable to cater for my setup, HW- and otherwise... My MiniPC router is sitting behind my modem and it must deal with all my LAN and WiFi traffic, without any additional router etc. So, it must be able to have WiFi and LAN controls, plus encrypt traffic to selected devices in either direction (LAN or WiFi)... But one must install it and take a closer look, which I will do after I have the time to study the links you provided... Cheerio!
The IPFire installed at my friend's office has multiple networks and VPN access and has been in use steadily for years. I tried PFSense during my research and was not impressed. Of course everyone must have their own preferences, and this is my preference.