Which One is a better Choice? Router or Server Firewall?

Hi guys,

I am getting a new (well to me) server some time in the next week. It is Proliant 5500 4X 450 PII server with 1GB of memory :P I am planning on installing Slackware 10.1 on it and running it as my all around server, mail, web, DB, ...etc. First I was wondering if you guys think there are going to be any problems with the quad CPU setup. Slackware supports that. Right? :?

Any way, my main question is should I connect it directly to my DSL modem an get a second card and plug my Wireless router into that? Or is it better for security reasons to connect it through the wireless router? If I chose the first alternative I would have to setup some kind of firewall, ipchains is what Slackware has I think. I would need to read about how to do that, so I would appreciate any good tutorials you might suggest.

Any way, sorry I got so many questions, I appreciate any help,

- Bogdan

I suggest you to put first the server, than the router (but you don't need to, 'cause you can do that from linux :wink: ).
linux routing.
Ipchains is very very old. Now IPTABLES makes the rules. :wink:
IPTABLES TUTORIAL. :wink:

The problem is if you put the server behind the router it won't have a public IP address...you would have to use port forwarding and the routers IP to make the machine public. I'll assume you also have dynamic IPs which means you will have to update your DNS from the router or find a program that will read the router IP and update the DNS from the computer. I don't think ezipupdate does this yet but the site does mention it is in the works.

I haven't found any other program that works with my service but you might find one that works with yours.

I think you probably better off just installing a second Nic card and a small 4 port hub with uplink...

Hook NIC1 to the hub and hook the DSL modem to the uplink port as well...
Connect the Router to another port on the router hub and then hook up NIC2 on the server to the router using a local IP....

Now NIC1 will be your public network, NIC2 your local and all you will have to do is lock down the ports you need on NIC1 and your as secure as you will ever be.

You will also be able to use WPA RADIUS to lock down the wireless as well since your server has a local pathway to validate...I'm sure something like Slackware comes with Radius. It's a lot better than a shared key system that's for sure!

And if you do it that way you might even be able to run another domain if you can work out updating the DNS using the router IP and port forwarding!

I got a static IP, so that's not a problem. However I am experiencing other problems with port forwarding on the given router, so I will consider putting the server first. That should solve some of my issues. I guess I would have to readup on linux routing :)

- Bogdan