thinking about redesigning my home network...

[Bakerton]

...right now I am using a D-Link Router (Layer 3 Switch/Brouter in reality ).

What I am planning on doing is this:

Get 2 3Com NICs for my PC (wanna replace old one)

Do Share Internet Connection and make my PC the router

Either get a switch or see if I can turn D-Link Router into a switch

Get a Software Firewall to keep my network safe from hackers

Now here is my question:

What is a good software firewall?

I do not mind spending a few bucks if need be but it needs to work with WinXP.

Also why would you choose this firewall over others?

[barbos]

Why would you want a Windows machine for a firewall?

I wouldn't want to give up the machine for a dedicated firewall. Hiding behind my Linksys router blocks 95% of attacks. That is enough for me.

Although right now I'm the DMZ so I get all the attacks. BlackICE seems to handle most of them well enough (even though without it I'm nearly just as safe, I just can't see what's going on).

Someone posted a link against BlackICE. It was declared a poor firewall, because it only blocked incoming attacks. If you had trojans and such, it wouldn't stop them from working. I'd rather have that than have to approve every damn thing that tries to access the internet (that gets old). After all, I only paid 4$ for it.

If you're real careful (ie where you go, what you do, what you download, what you click), it usually doesn't make a difference anyway in my book. But I'm not a professional, and a noob at internet networking.

[Bakerton]

Well I am trying to get away from the router just to see if gaming will go smoother if I am directly connected...I do <3 my lil router tho...I have done Microsoft solutions a 100 times in school so I know that will not be a problem hehe

[Bulor]

why do you want to turn your computer into the router?


just leave the router as is....,

go to

www.dslreports.com

i belieave they have tools there to open up your internet connection speed.. (allows you to break out the cap)

[Finch]

Steal ISA Server from school Bakerton if you can

[Bakerton]

I could steal server 2000

maybe server 2003