[thelist] Networks, webservers, file servers, etc.

[Chris Johnston]

On 5/2/06, Richard Brown <rich at cregy.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Hi Chris and everyone
>
> I had forgotten about the dmz - an important point. So I run a computer
> as web server from that and then have a separate box acting as a
> Firewall and then routing to the network. That means another two
> computers! As I run a small web business is it worth doing all that
> please?
>
> I understand what folks say about keeping everything separate and maybe
> I need to look into it further.
>
> I am not sure that you need to use a separate computer as a
firewall/router. I would personally trust a Linksys firewall/router. You can
find several that have NAT and packet inspection along with logs that should
keep both your network and your web server safe. And they are much cheaper
then a computer. On the other hand, I have used old pentiums and even a 486
once as a router/firewall running smoothwall.

As for the setup: you would have one computer, acting as the web server,
connected to the dmz port of the linksys router and the rest of your network
connected to the other ports of the linksys router. Turn logging on for the
router and this should keep your network safe (just make sure you watch the
logs and harden the web server).

Chris
--
www.fuzzylizard.com