Network Security

[jdlech]

Hi folk. It's been ages since I've been here.

I'm moderately knowlegeble about computers in general but never studied networking until now.

I've set up a LAN with 3 computers (2 on ethernet and 1 wireless) all connected to a router. All three are sharing the internet connection and all three are sharing some files and folders and one printer.

Router: 2 wire 2700HG with a hardware firewall. It's managing the whole network with dynamic IP allocations with a single workgroup name for all three (no bridging neccessary if I understand it correctly)

Computer 1:

Windows XP home w/ Zonealarm Pro, Ad Aware, Spyware blaster, Spybot, and McAfee AV.

Ethernet connection sharing music and videos

Computer 2:

Windows XP home w/ Ad Aware, Spyware blaster, spybot, and McAfee AV. (only XP's crappy firewall)

Wireless connection using WEP and Sharing music and a printer.

Will soon have a second internet connection through an ethernet cable modem and am interested in sharing this connection with the other two computers too.

Computer 3:

Windows 98se (just got it up and running, no security installed yet) Only a 200MHz pentium w/32Meg of ram and a 2GB HD. Certainly not something one would want to throw XP onto.

Just serving up music from the other two computers for my stereo to play, sharing nothing

Right now, I am using IP protocols for the whole LAN.

I've been reading about how easily hacked IP LANs are and am interested in a discussion on how people here would secure such a network from hacking. I'm interested in alternate protocols and firewall settings as well as a general discussion on network security in general.

So how about some recommendations...

[shanenin]

I would be interested also on what people have to say about this. I personally think a router that does stateful packet inspection is secure. This is all I use to protect my home network, but maybe mine is insecure.

[mikex]

I am behind shanenin on this. You could also put together smooth wall fire wall, basicly an older computer with firewall software which all computers connect through it. I think you can do url restrictions with an appliance like this also depending on the software. Great for if kids are on the network. I do know mikrotik can be run from a p2 or p3 machine with like 256 megs of ram and a small hard drive. mikrotik will run on a 64 mb compact flash.

M