Suggestions/help for old Watchguard Firebox

[cyde_ePhex]

I just came across an old Watchguard Firebox x20e Edge I had in a closet for the past couple of years. Bought it real cheap on Newegg (discontinued model) and never got around to using it. Now sometime this month Watchguard will stop supporting this model (software side) and I am looking for a new use for it.

My experience with firewalls and such is limited. I have tried installing Sophos Home UTM on Virtualbox (not much success getting that running) and Untangle (also in Vbox). Anyone know of a way to get either one of these (preferably Sophos) installed on this Watchguard? Or any other projects I can install on this piece of hardware? I hate to toss it.

 

[Kitten Kong]

@cyde_ePhex , @YeOldeStonecat Stoney may be able to help you here. As he does a lot of work with untangle boxes, hardware firewalls etc.

I have tagged stoney, into this thread.

 

[cyde_ePhex]

@Cadishead Computers thanks!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Going to say "I doubt it"...
I never heard of someone installing Untangle on one of those, nor Astaro (the Sophos UTM).
A quick search on Google only showed someone installing PFSense on a Firebox (a MUCH lighter firewall distro although not a UTM at all).
Unable to find specs on it..other than it has Realtek NICs (yuck).

Untangle needs pretty good x86/x64 CPU and good quality NICs and a standardized chipset..
Sophos UTM...similar...very good distro but it needs horsepower (as any UTM does).

 

[cyde_ePhex]

@YeOldeStonecat yea thanks. That's what I figured. I tried searching myself before posting and the only thing close I found was regarding pfsense. I think I'll try Sophos again (this time on dedicated hardware). Maybe I'll have better luck then. Thanks for your input!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

@YeOldeStonecat yea thanks. That's what I figured. I tried searching myself before posting and the only thing close I found was regarding pfsense. I think I'll try Sophos again (this time on dedicated hardware). Maybe I'll have better luck then. Thanks for your input!

When I was regularly playing with *nix firewalls....I used to use small form factor business grade desktops, and also used to use older IBM Thinkpad laptops. Biz grade desktops typically have good Intel chipset based motherboards that are well supported by *nix, as well as better NICs. Just slap in a second NIC. Older Thinkpads, with the PCMCIA port...I'd put a second NIC in that. Biz grade laptops make great little hardware platforms for a firewall learning platform at home...small, quiet, built in KVM, built in battery backup!

 

[cyde_ePhex]

When I was regularly playing with *nix firewalls....I used to use small form factor business grade desktops, and also used to use older IBM Thinkpad laptops. Biz grade desktops typically have good Intel chipset based motherboards that are well supported by *nix, as well as better NICs. Just slap in a second NIC. Older Thinkpads, with the PCMCIA port...I'd put a second NIC in that. Biz grade laptops make great little hardware platforms for a firewall learning platform at home...small, quiet, built in KVM, built in battery backup!

Thank you for the info sir!

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Odd timing...someone (new member) just posted at Untangles forums...
http://forums.untangle.com/hardware...pliances-watchguard-astaros-etc-soho-smb.html

 

[cyde_ePhex]

Odd timing...someone (new member) just posted at Untangles forums...
http://forums.untangle.com/hardware...pliances-watchguard-astaros-etc-soho-smb.html

Thank you

 

[cyde_ePhex]

In case anyone was interested just came across this video showing how to install dd-wrt on a watchguard firebox

 

[HCHTech]

It's amazing how quick firewalls lose value. I've got a pile of Sonciwall TZ200s on my bench from recent replacements because they went EOL last year. I'm not sure why I didn't just pitch them - I guess because I know how much they cost when new. As soon as they drop support and you can't get licensing for them anymore, they pretty-much become useless. I suppose you could use it to hold up one end of a VPN tunnel... Or maybe just as a unit to learn their interface...

 

[mikeroq]

In case anyone was interested just came across this video showing how to install dd-wrt on a watchguard firebox

The one you got and the one in the video are different. The type that are like the one in the video are full x86 computers with Pentium 4/Celeron processors and would be much more capable of running Sophos/Untangle etc, compared to the one you have which has an ARM processor.

 

[cyde_ePhex]

@mikeroq Oh I know. I just recently saw this and remembered this thread. I figured I would post it in case anyone found it useful

 

[mikeroq]

I've been lusting for a firebox to turn into something. IDK why just like the looks.