Smoothwall vs Freesco vs LRP?

mpot · 12th July 2001, 11:21 PM

I've got a Smoothwall box setup, and was just wondering how Smoothwall compares to Freesco and the Linux Router Project.

I'm sure everyone who's used any of the above will have their favourite, but I'm interested in an objective discussion of features, pros, cons...

Cheers,
Martin.

catharsis · 12th July 2001, 11:47 PM

Hrrmmm... I run Freesco, and I've not used either of the other two, so bare that in mind. The main things I like about it:
Simple setup - I can get a router going from stratch in ~10 mins, less if I don't transfer it to the HDD.
Small - runs off a floppy, if you want
Extensible - lots of packages available
System Requirments - low low low

Supporting a wider range of NICs would be nice, but other that, I've been nothing but pleased with it.

Iceman · 13th July 2001, 1:45 PM

LRP .. confused the hell out of me

Freesco .. working in about 5 mins, kicks arse, fairly stable, probally only dies because of my hardware

Smoothwall .. looks almost as good as freesco.. annoying that you need to burn it to cd to install it, falls over on my hardware

mpot · 20th July 2001, 12:08 AM

Iceman, you don't need to burn a CD to install Smoothwall.

Use a utility like IsoBuster or CDmage to extract the contents out of the ISO image.

Then you just need to create a couple of boot floppies, and you can do a HTTP install over your network.

Cheers,
Martin.

Whisper · 20th July 2001, 2:13 AM

If you are not NAT'ing / Proxying, then a bridging Firewall based on OpenBSD, certainly has its advantages!

http://www.openlysecure.org/content/html/bridge.html

Gandalf · 20th July 2001, 9:05 AM

I installed many LRP's, than switched to Freesco as it was so simple to setup.
I now also use Smoothwall for sites that want firm control of their dialup/hangup because they have had bad experiences with automatic dialups e.g. 500 phone calls one weekend when a staff member left their mail client running.

I also use Clark Connect for domestic cable connections (includes portsentry!!), and e-smith for commercial ADSL connections.

I recommend Pacific Net (Australia) to clients for their commercial ADSL supplier (starts at $89 per month and comes with fixed IP) as they are so easy to use - Telstra commercial connections need BPALOGIN, don't have fixed IP and I think we all know Telstra's quality of service.

If you are setting up a Linux only system for home on Optus cable use Mandrake 8 as it comes with wizard setup of firewall (Bastille) and NAT so an extra firewall box can be avoided.

12th July 2001, 11:21 PM	#1
mpot <blank> Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 5,345	Smoothwall vs Freesco vs LRP? I've got a Smoothwall box setup, and was just wondering how Smoothwall compares to Freesco and the Linux Router Project. I'm sure everyone who's used any of the above will have their favourite, but I'm interested in an objective discussion of features, pros, cons... Cheers, Martin. __________________ [ photography blog \| redbubble \| flickr ]

12th July 2001, 11:47 PM	#2
catharsis Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: North QLD Posts: 278	Freesco Hrrmmm... I run Freesco, and I've not used either of the other two, so bare that in mind. The main things I like about it: Simple setup - I can get a router going from stratch in ~10 mins, less if I don't transfer it to the HDD. Small - runs off a floppy, if you want Extensible - lots of packages available System Requirments - low low low Supporting a wider range of NICs would be nice, but other that, I've been nothing but pleased with it.

13th July 2001, 1:45 PM	#3
Iceman Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brisbane (nth), Australia Posts: 6,304	LRP .. confused the hell out of me Freesco .. working in about 5 mins, kicks arse, fairly stable, probally only dies because of my hardware Smoothwall .. looks almost as good as freesco.. annoying that you need to burn it to cd to install it, falls over on my hardware __________________ _,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸_ WTB: Cisco 1801-M PM me Please rehash my posts and pass them off as your own ideas! Triple points for doing it in the same page of the thread. Plagiarism is the sincerest form of copyright infringement.

20th July 2001, 12:08 AM	#4
mpot <blank> Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Perth, WA Posts: 5,345	Iceman, you don't need to burn a CD to install Smoothwall. Use a utility like IsoBuster or CDmage to extract the contents out of the ISO image. Then you just need to create a couple of boot floppies, and you can do a HTTP install over your network. Cheers, Martin. __________________ [ photography blog \| redbubble \| flickr ]

20th July 2001, 9:05 AM	#6
Gandalf Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brisbane Posts: 371	I installed many LRP's, than switched to Freesco as it was so simple to setup. I now also use Smoothwall for sites that want firm control of their dialup/hangup because they have had bad experiences with automatic dialups e.g. 500 phone calls one weekend when a staff member left their mail client running. I also use Clark Connect for domestic cable connections (includes portsentry!!), and e-smith for commercial ADSL connections. I recommend Pacific Net (Australia) to clients for their commercial ADSL supplier (starts at $89 per month and comes with fixed IP) as they are so easy to use - Telstra commercial connections need BPALOGIN, don't have fixed IP and I think we all know Telstra's quality of service. If you are setting up a Linux only system for home on Optus cable use Mandrake 8 as it comes with wizard setup of firewall (Bastille) and NAT so an extra firewall box can be avoided. __________________ "The best game is a new Linux distro" www.qldcorp.net