Firewall/router suggestions

EdFred

EdFred

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White Chocolate
Currently have a Linksys WRT54GSv5 Wireless router here at work. But I've recently had to keep rebooting it. Sometimes the connection to the outside world is the culprit, this morning the whole LAN was kaput. Unplug, wait 30 seconds, all is well.

It also isn't that great and doing what I tell it to. I've shut down all ports except for a handful, but I still see traffic coming in on ports that are supposed to be shut down. So I want something a little more robust.

I run 5 machines and a web/mail server. It does need wireless capability as I have one computer that's not reachable without CAT5 cable being run all over the floor. At first look, the ones that seem like a good firewall - no wireless.

Suggestions?
 
At work we recommend the Linksys E1500 for a wireless router and a Cisco RV042 for firewall or VPN.

The E1500 will NAT, so that will give you some protection, but if you really need a hardware firewall I'd go with the RV042 and another wireless router. If you don't have a switch external to the router you'll either need one of those or to step up to the RV082.

If you're feeling handy, you could install alternate firmware on an E1500 or similar and get both in one box, but I haven't played around with that very much.
 
I have good service from sonicwall, now part of Dell. They can be had with and without wireless.
 
We have been using a SonicWall TZ210, which has firewall and router functions built in. Rock-solid, and good support (even if they do speak with an accent).
 
I have had a number of Linksys routers do that. They have heat issues. I switched to Netgear for home. For work and what I recommend to customers is Cisco's business class firewalls (ASA 5500 series) and wireless access points (Aironet).
 
What you describe is the same way one of my Linksys units failed.

I went to Sonicwall and never looked back. The TZ100 series is not outrageously expensive and can be had with or without wireless. It also supports remote VPN connections, which I use all the time.
 
We use ASA 5520s for the firewall and some routing, HP switches for more complicated routing, and HP wireless access points with an HP wireless management controller. Probably beyond your budget.
 
jesse said:
We use ASA 5520s for the firewall and some routing, HP switches for more complicated routing, and HP wireless access points with an HP wireless management controller. Probably beyond your budget.
Click to expand...

Ya think? :rofl:

I've used, sold, and gotten excellent feedback about the ZyXEL ZyWALL USG-20W. That may be a little closer to your budget...

-Rich
 
I've used Sonicwall products and found them to be reliable and easy to use.
 
Some Buffalo routers do the DD-WRT thing (config your heart out) as well as they have one coming to market (or has arrived?) they will support 802.11nfw(ac? super awesome new standard). I've got one that has been doing its thing for months on end without a reboot, unlike my Belkins.
 
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