[sllug-members]: Router advice

[Chris Brown]

Kurt,

You didn't mention what you consider "cheap". You also didn't specify if
it requires WAN ports or just LAN ports. However, I'll point out that I
think meet your criteria.

First is my favorite small firewall/router: the SnapGear (bought by
CyberGuard, bought by Secure Computing) SG560 (froogle pricing around
$400 ea). It has 5 ports (4 of which are on a switch, but can be VLAN'd
and treated as completely separate ports), can be SSH'd to, and is easy
to work with (both from the web GUI and from the command line). This
router is exceptionally flexible, allows multiple subnets on every
interface, excellent DNAT (port forwarding) rules allowing matching on
on source IP, interface, & etc. This device blows away routers costing
twice as much. I've been installing devices from this product line for 5
years and have never been dissatisfied. SnapGear used to be a Utah
company, and yes, at one time it was a relative of Caldera. Some of the
tech support is still handled by local technicians.

Second would be a Linksys WRT54GL (or better, a V.4 or earlier WRT54G,
or equiv. ..GS). Loading DD-WRT firmware can allow all 5 ports to be
used independently (by way of VLANs) as the SG560 can, but not as
polished nor with as much RAM or hardware cryptographic accelerator.
Froogle pricing around $65 ea.

SnapGear SG560: http://www.securecomputing.com/index.cfm?skey=1557
Linksys WRT54GL: http://tinyurl.com/s8bxl
DD-WRT Firmware: http://www.dd-wrt.org/

Chris Brown

Kurt Mahan wrote:

>I'm looking for some advice on a router.  The requirements are:
>
>  - cheap
>  - low power (not an 'x86 box chock-full-o-netcards)
>  - 5+ 10/100 network ports - each able to route a separate net
>  - preferably diskless (flash/cf/whatever based)
>  - did I mention cheap?
>
>I've got several test nets.  Currently I take a linux box, stuff a lot of
>network cards into it, and setup routing between them.  Very easy to do.
>But annoying in that it takes a lot of power, is noisy, and a waste of
>hardware resources for something that should be easy and fit on a shelf 
>in the network closet (or in the 19" rack)..
>
>I've seen lots of cheap little "Routers" but they all only route a single net.
>
>Suggestions?  Anyone got a little cisco with ports they want to part with?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Kurt
>
>  
>