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Ideal Firewall setup?

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by toretto84 1 view

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I've got a question, and I'm sure that there are some security specialists out there that can answer me.

I've got a network, where they're using ADSL. So, they've got an ADSL modem in place, and behind that an ADSL Router is placed - making the actual connection to the internet.

Would it be good practice to replace this ADSL router with a Watchguard firewall? The Watchguard's functionality allows it to "make" the ADSL connection; and offers more security options.

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question. I'm experienced with firewalls, but I've been dealing with so many different setups lately that I'm starting to question the most simple of setups...

6 replies

by 1bn0

Make/model of ADSL router?
Make/Model of ADSL router.
Type of environment? Business/Home/School/ Government
Number of users on the network?
A "DSL Router" usually means a combined Router/modem. If the modem fials you haveto replace the whole thing.

If the router/firewall and the DSL modem are seperate, if the modem fails (lightinging strike most common reason) you can replace just the modem and you don't have to reconfigure any custom router/firewall configurations. (but you are backing them up anyway, RIGHT?)

The environemnt wil laso affect hte recomendations you receive on what type of firewall to imnplement.

by maclovin

I can't stand Modem/Firewall Combos. I feel that their feature set is waaaay too limited...just my opinion.

by robo_dev

sometimes separate DSL modem/routers get out of sync with each other (DHCP stops trying), and worse, some DSL 'modems' can be configured to be either as a simple NAT router or a bridge. (And some even reconfigure themselves to be a nat router if the hardware is reset).

If you configure it as a bridge, you cannot view/manage the DSL interface on many devices.

And, last but not least, if the modem is provided by the ISP and the router is not, then there can be confusion about who is responsible for what. I've been on many support calls with ISPs who basically say that their responsibility ends where the modem plugs into the router. But if you have one device, you can see all the DSL stats, connection state, etc, and see what's really wrong.

With respect to feature set, you get what you pay for. e.g. Cisco GXR versus a Buffalo or D-Link SOHO router.

by toretto84

Seems like I'm going to have to work with their existing modem and place a Watchguard behind that modem. Thinking about it, the only place where I've ever seen a modem / router combo was at my previous job. Still with an ISA server behind it to regulate traffic, but meh. The ISP's here really likes to sell modems, I guess.

by robo_dev

With most separate devices you lose the ability to view the modem DSL stats/error rates/connection status if the modem is in bridge mode.

Also, I've seen cases where the two separate devices get out-of-sync, such that the DSL circuit recovered from a signal loss, but the router did not make a connection request or DHCP request (thus it sits there disconnected).

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