Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 14:39:12 -0700 From: Glenn Dawson <glenn@antimatter.net> To: steve lasiter <slas7713@yahoo.com>, free bsd <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: gateway configuration Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.2.20050807142409.0f1a5ba0@cobalt.antimatter.net> In-Reply-To: <20050807211325.62115.qmail@web33607.mail.mud.yahoo.com> References: <20050807211325.62115.qmail@web33607.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
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At 02:13 PM 8/7/2005, steve lasiter wrote: >I am researching and accumulating information on >setting up my small office network and using a FreeBSD >Gateway/Firewall as my entry point. I am seeking >general FreeBSD advise, know problems, and input on >this topic. I currently have all the equipment up and >configured and now I'm tying it all together. > >The computer I will be setting up as the the Gateway >has FreeBSD 5.4 and is a PII 400MHz with 256MB Ram and >9 Gig HDD. I plan on putting two new ethernet cards in >to ensure quality. Any advice on whether this seems >sufficient if this machine is only serving as a >Gateway. I understand a lot will depend on my rules >and traffic so I may up the ram, or get another pc for >it based on advice received here. Also, should I put a >gigabit Ethernet card in my Gateway?-see below topic. Having gigabit ethernet on your gateway/firewall is a bit of waste. Unless of course you have a gigabit link to the internet. >I recently bought two new Dual Pentium 1.2GHz with >SCSI's and both have gigabit ethernet ports along with >the standard ethernet ports. I have the SMP Kenel >configured and the boxes ready to go as a >mail/web/database server and the other as a streaming >video/ftp server. I have six boxes total and will be >adding more. What is going to be the best way to take >advantage of the gigabit ethernet ports on the big >dual boxes? Assuming those machines are primarily used to provide services across the internet, gigabit ethernet doesn't do you any good. If you're planning on moving a lot of data around locally, then gigabit would certainly make things faster. >I read that FreeBSD had some issues with >the gigabit ethernets earlier, are there still >outstanding issues? I've used some of the Intel gigabit cards without any problems. Don't know if others have problems or not. >Should I upgrade the other PC's to >gigabit ethernet cards in order to take advantage of >this or should I buy a switch with both port types and >just mix and match? Same as above. Moving lots of data locally would benefit from that, otherwise just use what the machines have now. -Glenn >I'm sure one of you out there has worked these issue >at some point and I need the usual expert advice I >have consistently received from you guys. > >Thanks in advance, > >Dean Lasiter
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