OLD server tower as a router


Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: OLD server tower as a router

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    6

    OLD server tower as a router

    long time no see.
    i had a very old server given to me. it's a Compaq Prosignia 200.
    it has a 166 pentium, more than 64 mb of ram(unkown because i see 2 32mb sticks and there are 2 more smaller sized sticks), a cd drive, a 6 gb hdd, and enough pci slots for 3 nic.
    i'd like to use it for a router for my 2 home pc's. i have no idea what im doing or if the hardware itself will run as a router. i do have a 25mb connection and dont really want to lose my bandwidth.
    probably too much to ask but i thought i'd give it a go.
    any ideas, help or information ?


    ok. pulled and checked, it is 128 mb total. should help some.
    Last edited by pc-illiterate; 10-05-2010 at 10:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,616
    Take a look near the bottom of this table at System Requirements under Express 3:

    http://www.smoothwall.org/about/feat...parison-chart/

    And, you might look at this:

    http://tinyurl.com/2aw33bk


    -------------
    Folding is Fun

    I thought I made a mistake once, but, of course, I was mistaken.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Vladivostok, Russia
    Posts
    9,053
    Last edited by JohnT; 10-06-2010 at 10:10 PM.
    "I was pulled over for speeding today. The officer said, "Don't you know
    the speed limit is 55 miles an hour?" And I said, "Yes, but I wasn't going
    to be out that long."

    How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
    COME VISIT ME IN RUSSIA NOW!!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    6
    i like the smoothwall. it'll run on this no problem but i have at least 1 question.
    do i need to connect both my home pc's to a router or switch after the smoothwall box ? i keep seeing that everywhere i read and watch. i'd like to use it as a router. if i still need a router or switch, it isnt exactly what i would call a router. it seems like it would be more of an uplink. buying a switch isnt what i want. buying another router, im defeating the purpose of having the smoothwall box.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Vladivostok, Russia
    Posts
    9,053
    AFAIK Smoothwall is Firewall only.....it is mistakenly listed on that page as a router/firewall.
    The other links I gave you can be configured to use on anything you have.
    Last edited by JohnT; 10-07-2010 at 08:14 PM.
    "I was pulled over for speeding today. The officer said, "Don't you know
    the speed limit is 55 miles an hour?" And I said, "Yes, but I wasn't going
    to be out that long."

    How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
    COME VISIT ME IN RUSSIA NOW!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Haarlem, Holland
    Posts
    129
    I have used shorewall to set up firewall rules, and routing.
    Connecting your homepc's directly to your routerpc is possible with a crosslinked cable
    for the configuration of your routerpc using a switch is easier, but at least it is possible to put your 2 hompc's on seperate networks.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    New Orleans, LA USA
    Posts
    986
    I guess age is starting to show...

    I still use iptables to setup firewall rules instead of the latest programs. I *had* that same box running as a router at one time, but the problem came that I needed more connections than I had PCI slots (plus my PS3 and phone make use of wi-fi). So in my case, I have the firewall up first, it connects to a cisco wi-fi router that uses wired ports only (no DHCP, very limited range of static allowed) with the exception of the two MAC addresses of my phone and PS3 on wifi. Broadcast off, deny all except list, encrypted.

    So I guess it comes down to how many units you need to wire up (if you are going to buy a hub, may as well get the router/switch). If it isn't that many you can add more NICs and turn the box into a router. If you have too many, or just don't want to be bothered, having a firewall + router is still better than just a router. 99% of the "home" marketed routers have nothing more than a simple NAT table as their "firewall" which is trivial to bypass (just google linksys router hack).
    "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect."

    -Mark Twain

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    1,616
    I use Smoothwall Express 3 on two separate systems. My setup, in both cases, is dial-up. In one case, the phone line goes to the modem, modem is connected to the smoothwall machine via a serial cable, then smoothwall connects via cat 5e to an 8 port switch and provides dhcp services on that network.

    In the other case it's very similar except that the cat 5e from the swoothwall machine connects directly into a wireless access point. And, even in this case, the smoothwall machine provides dhcp to the wireless devices in that system.

    The only difference with a broadband system would be that you will have 2 nic's in the machine, instead of the serial connection.

    Oh, and you don't have to use dhcp, you can choose static ip's for the other computers.

    And, actually.... I guess you don't really need a router's functionality here. Routers connect networks together. I assume you just have one network and you want the 2 computers to communicate. I don't see being able to avoid a switch ( http://tinyurl.com/239tauu )... or a wap.


    EDIT: d'oh... Ok, well, I guess the smoothwall machines are acting as routers, since they are connecting the incoming, external network to the internal, home network.


    [side note] When I get around to connecting my wired network to my wireless network, that's when I will need actual router functionality. I'll probably use a cisco router for that, but I'm assuming another nic in one of the smoothwall machines could be configured to connect the two networks together.
    Last edited by bs_texas; 10-09-2010 at 09:56 AM.
    -------------
    Folding is Fun

    I thought I made a mistake once, but, of course, I was mistaken.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Austin, Texas
    Posts
    683
    I'm not sure what the hardware requirements are but I have always had good experiences with ipcop in the past (www.ipcop.org). I have run it on some older hardware, though I'm not sure it was as old as what you're talking about.
    "The author of that poem is either Homer or, if not Homer, somebody else of the same name."

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    6
    ok. i was confused when i started this, of course everyone but me knew this.
    what i was actually looking for was turning the old server into a router/firewall/switch.
    the switch is possible but with some headache, time and a lot more knowledge than i have.
    i think my best choice is to buy a switch or router and just use the old box as a firewall/router.
    you guys are awesome with some great advice and choices for what you thought i was looking for.
    so thanks for ALL of your input and i will be back when i get my own stuff figured out.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    New York
    Posts
    280
    I've seen a lot of people recommending smoothwall here. I tried it in the past, and while I did like it, I felt that it tried to dumb down some of the settings.

    So I ran that for about a month, and then I discovered pfSense. I've been running that for the last year now, and it's stable as a rock. I love how easy it is to configure and maintain. The web interface gives you greater detail and information IMO.

    I have a FIOS connection (25Mbps upload/download), and when I need to I can completely saturate my connection. Other household routers (Linksys / Netgear) could not achieve that performance when I tested them.

    I just re-read your last post about making a combined router/firewall/switch. My pfSense box has two network interface cards in it. One for the WAN, the other LAN. Connected to the LAN NIC, I have a 24 port gigabit switch to feed my house. While pfSense would be more than happy to take on the role of a switch as well, it made more sense for me to have a dedicated switch to allow easy expandability if needed. Plus, the machine I used didn't have room for 24 NICS :-P.

    If you know you're way around a network, you'll be fine. Definitely worth while to investigate in my opinion.
    Last edited by Devsforev; 10-13-2010 at 06:53 PM. Reason: added more information

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •