Comments on: Router

By: startek

startek — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 11:22:43 +0000

For less than $350 you can purchase a 3Com SS3 3226 layer 3 switch which will do what you need. Must connect via serial port for initial configuration but from then on you can manage through a web browser. In addition you’ll have extra ports if you need to connect other devices in the future and until them you can disable the extra ports for security if you like.

By: startek

startek — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 11:22:43 +0000

By: paul144hart

paul144hart — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 10:57:19 +0000

Assuming these are not connected at all, the linux box with 2 NIC cards is the least expensive. If you need frame relay, or T1/E1 connections, then go with a Cisco modular router. I would also assume the 10. is the coporate network. If so, ask the caretakers there about connecting. If its not your network, they may not appreciate your connecting to it from a new subnet they aren’t aware of.

I would also look at restricting traffic to only those ports needed for security – both accidental protection and snoopers. It would be a good idea to disable broadcasts, pinging and such. If you use a Linux box you can easily use it as a firewall too. The Linux would also give you the option of playing with policy routing.

Lastly, since you are describing medicals images, check with http://www.hipaa.org/ and your management team to safeguard against a law suit.

By: drillo

drillo — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 14:03:37 +0000

Here is my little bit of info…..I had a LINUX box acting as a router for 6 years…..cost me nothing and after setting it up, I never touched it again. By the way, it routed a lot of traffic.

Paul

By: hdrider

hdrider — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 13:24:46 +0000

You could setup Routing and Remote Access on your server using 2 NIC’s which makes your server a Router for no more money.

By: yarddon

yarddon — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 13:05:33 +0000

We had actually ordered a Cisco 878 router but I was just told that it has to made to order so I am seeking subsitutes. I like the linux box solution but I am worried about other issues coming about as a result, mainly support. With the hardware solution I just isntall and forget it.
Can anyone recommend a router similar to Cisco 878 router and within the same price range.
Regards
YD

By: arrowais

arrowais — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 12:58:46 +0000

Dear Sir,
Our router is a Open BSD router. It’s a very simple build and info on it can be had by a google on “Open BSD Router”. The steps take about an hour, or so, and it is a very dependable router. Basicly, you partition your disk, config your NICs and uncomment two or three lines using a vi editor (very simple to use). It doesn’t take much of a machine, either. It can easily be run on an old 486, and such.

Good luck. Erick

By: amigus

amigus — Wed, 21 Sep 2005 12:49:52 +0000

There are several broad categories of solutions to this problem:

1. A router appliance. Many vendors make 1U router appliances for small networks. Cisco has several as well as Juniper, etc. Depending on the router you may be able to do some filtering as well though it usually costs extra.

2. A switch with routing capability. Some switches come with the builtin ability to route between VLANs. One that comes to mind is the HP Procurve 2424 but there are several others.

3. A computer running *BSD, Linux or Windows 2000/XP/2003. I personally recommend FreeBSD, NetBSD or OpenBSD. In particular NetBSD and OpenBSD have very small foot prints, require minimal maintenance and are generally extremely reliable. Best of all they’re free. Also with the *BSD or Linux you can use 802.1q tagging to create virtual interfaces over one physical NIC making a single NIC computer capable of routing many networks. Finally as with the routers, the *BSD and Linux operating-systems all contain one or more types of filtering software giving you the added benefit of controlling exactly what traffic can go to and from the networks being routed — again free.