Ubuntu as Gateway/Router

[wlraider70]

I'm considering setting up a Linux gateway. My small business network is getting a larger and the home router is a bit light on features.

Here are a few things I'm looking to accomplish:

-Setup Dan's guardian or other other content filter
-Monitor bandwidth
-QoS
-VPN

- all the other regular stuff
- I'd like an ubuntu based solution as I'm most familiar with it.


I've seen http://www.zentyal.org/ and it looks cool, anyone have a review or competitor.

[CharlesA]

I've tried it before and while it works fine, I think the majority of the routing and NAT was done in iptables.

If you really want a firewall/routing appliance on a *nix box, check out pfSense, M0n0wall or Smoothwall.

[nerdtron]

Not very well Ubuntu but still close to UNIX concepts are mikrotik routers. VPN, routing, firewall, wifi hotspot etc. in a small package. They are also cheap. Just my two cents.

[sandyd]

If your looking to add more features to the network as well, I suggest Zentyal as well. It already has all prebuilt setups for a Small Business Server (LDAP Server, FTP, quotas, .etc .etc).
It has an easy to configure webgui. I use it at home to configure most networking services

Another option is ClearOS, which is essentially the same thing, except that it is based on CentOS (I think?)

[houstonbofh]

I would second pfSense if you want filtering and m0n0wall if you want a good routing firewall. Both are FreeBSD based, and very easy to work with. Also, Untangle has a community version, and it is actually Linux.

[NotWindows]

I have a simular question though I am totally new to firewalls, networking and servers. I want to run my business computer with Windows since my business software requires it unfortunately, but I need the security of Ubuntu or linux frontend. What is the best way for me to accomplish this?

I wish I could use Ubuntu on the business computer but need for my business software to be dependable and not have to realy on Wine etc. Right now Quickbooks doesn't want to work and leaves me to use Windows.

Thanks,
Kevin

[CharlesA]

Windows can be as security as Linux or OSX if you set it up that way. If you still want to run Linux as the Host OS and run Windows in a VM, that would probably work for you.

[NotWindows]

I am not very knowledable in setting Windows up to be secure other than thinking it always seems all of the security costs money. I have been using Ubuntu for 4 years with no issues and I use windows for a very short time and have viruses. It seems after installing everything to protect the computer it makes it even slower. I am just spoiled with how secure Ubuntu has been for me.

[wlraider70]

What I'm trying to do is replace my standard home router with a full linux machine, so that its more like a standalone hardware firewall. I don't believe such a thing is necessary for security . As long as you are running SOME firewall. Your windows machines also have a firewall on them.

More than anything I would say be careful what programs you install.

[CharlesA]

What I'm trying to do is replace my standard home router with a full linux machine, so that its more like a standalone hardware firewall. I don't believe such a thing is necessary for security . As long as you are running SOME firewall. Your windows machines also have a firewall on them.

You can do that with Ubuntu or pick one of the suggestions mentioned above. Depending on what you actually want the machine to do, you could probably run it off something like a Raspberry Pi (assuming you use a USB network card for the LAN or WAN port).