Router/Firewall Recommendation

[Otto Haliburton]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: redhat-list-bounces at redhat.com [mailto:redhat-list-
> bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Reuben D. Budiardja
> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 8:03 AM
> To: General Red Hat Linux discussion list
> Cc: Rodolfo J. Paiz
> Subject: Re: Router/Firewall Recommendation
> 
> On Thursday 24 June 2004 03:14 am, Rodolfo J. Paiz wrote:
> <snip>
> > Finally, re the cost factor: you buy N LBB devices for $40 each. I set
> up
> > firewalls that generally cost me $0 each.
> 
> Here is what I still don't understand:
> If I were to set up a linux firewall, I have to have at least 2 Nic cards,
> 1
> to the internet (assuming using Nic, which's not necessaryly so since it
> could be modem or anything), and the other 1 to the local network.
> 
> Well, then if I only had 1 machine behind the firewall, it's fine. But
> what if
> I have 3 machines? Then I have to either have 4 Nic cards on the firewall,
> --
> which cost like $20 per Nic, and my old p166 box not necessarily will have
> enough PCI slots -- , or I have to put in a switch / router behind the
> firewall, which cost about $40 for eg. 8 ports switch (rough estimate?).
> So
> all in all, it's not $0. Or am I wrong ?
> 
> Thanks.
> RDB
> 
> --
there is no $0, the configurations are going to cost you money regardless,
I'm not sure how you get a lan with 2 nic cards.  I think I get your point
and I agree.  You are going to need something to tie the network together,
and you can use a routers and hubs chained together, but a small router 4
ports for $40.  As I said a simple hardware router pulls the network
together very cheap and you can forget it.