UTM for small business

[ViperCS]

What are your thoughts on using

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007MS9OI2/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_mOqYsb0447F9V

+untangle for a small office with a max of 10 users. I will also throw another nic in it for fail over wan with a 4G modem.

Is there any other hardware you would recommend?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Markverhyden]

That should do the job. But I'm not sure about why you would need another nic for 4G. Those are USB devices. You should be able to have the system flip over the that modem device and output on the same ports.

I know that AT&T Netgate devices do that.

 

[ViperCS]

I haven't done a 4G fail over setup yet. Are the modems usually a USB? I figured it would be a standalone device connected via ethernet

 

[ViperCS]

Also does untangle support a USB 4G modem?

 

[ViperCS]

Any need for a bridge like this? http://nexgenappliances.com/en/home/218-Pocketport2.html

 

[Markverhyden]

I've never worked with untangle before. As I mentioned I know the AT&T Netgate is setup to use standard USB 3G/4G devices. Meaning the drivers are built in.

I also remember testing it successfully with Vyatta a couple of years ago.

I've downloaded and installed the free Sophos UTM on a micro-itx. I've started setting it up but have not gotten that far (got to keep the cash flowing - you know?).

It does have 3g/4g compatiblity. http://people.astaro.com/uweber/3G_UMTS_Kernel_Modules.html

I would think most popular distros would have it or should be able to be added with relative ease. If not the bridge would do the trick.

 

[TAPtech]

Used OptiPlex 755 SFF with a second NIC!

You can usually get them for $75 shipped on ebay, and about $15 for the NIC. Lots of horseponies!

I look for the ones with VTx cpu's and put ESXI on the unit. That way you can easily shove a pbx system on there later as a separate VM. Make sure you get your security down well. For smaller offices it works great!

 

[ViperCS]

Used OptiPlex 755 SFF with a second NIC!

I am looking to use something very small as space is limited.

Anyone used Jetway barebones? I was looking at this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856107120

 

[Markverhyden]

I am looking to use something very small as space is limited.

Anyone used Jetway barebones? I was looking at this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856107120

I have a Jetway similar to what you mentioned that also has a 3 port nic daughter board.

 

[SAG]

My problem with Jetway is that they use RTL chipsets.
Here's a decent mini-itx with quad-nic though: http://www.mitxpc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=EKJAD5254LM350

For SMB I do dig these little puppies: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856205007
Nice Broadcom NIC in them, decent case, only 2 NICs though.

 

[Markverhyden]

My problem with Jetway is that they use RTL chipsets.
Here's a decent mini-itx with quad-nic though: http://www.mitxpc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=EKJAD5254LM350

That's the one I got. Got is a couple of years ago and really never heard anything too bad about Jetway when I was searching. Obviously some here think otherwise about Jetway.

 

[SAG]

That's the one I got. Got is a couple of years ago and really never heard anything too bad about Jetway when I was searching. Obviously some hear think otherwise about Jetway.

One of our HTPCs is a Jetway box.
For business I prefer Broadcom or Intel NICs. IIRC, Jetway does make some Intel chipset daughter boards...

 

[Markverhyden]

I prefer Intels and Broadcoms as well. But when I got this the intel daughter board was not available and was a good bit more than the realtek which is what I bought. At any rate this is just for me, myself, and I so the realtek should be fine.

 

[ViperCS]

Do you guys recommend Sophos, Untangle or pfSense

 

[SAG]

Personally I like Endian, but it's a little too difficult for most.
After that.... Untangle, or possible ClearOS (been looking at it a little lately).

 

[Markverhyden]

I have not looked at all of the available router distro's. But I have looked at a few. Some, like Vyatta, are industrial strength but requires detailed knowledge of the CLI since the GUI is very expensive.

I'm really liking the Sophos distro a lot. If I remember correctly YeOldeStonecat pointed out it is really just Astaro which got purchased by Sophos.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Newer dual core Atoms will run Untangle fine for smaller offices, assuming no heavy e-mail traffic scanning and no heavy VoIP or video conferencing.

I'm not sure of that exact Intel mobo..check over on their forums, but most Intel mobo's seem to be supported well. I'd stay away from el cheapo brands like that Jetway....like mentioned, with those Realsuck..I mean....Realtek NICs...yuck...poor performance.

For our Untangle setups for smaller client networks...we use Untangle Appliances (Nexgen) NG25 and NG50 models.

Untangle does not support USB devices....for cellular backup connection you'd want to use a Cradlepoint.

The Sophos UTM product is also good, they bought up Astaro, and that was a great product.

Sonicwall also has some decent UTM appliances.

Endian is another good UTM product.

PFSense is not a UTM distro. yeah there are a couple of add-on modules which kinda sorta almost make it a very basic UTM...but honestly it's useless as a UTM...severely lacking in anti malware modules. It's a very good firewall distro for other functions like QoS and robust routing...but a UTM it is not.

 

[ViperCS]

for cellular backup connection you'd want to use a Cradlepoint.

So does the Cradlepoint handle the failover?

What order do the appliances go in? Main modem -> Cradle -> UTM -> Rest of network?

Apologies for the newbie questions. This is the first setup I have done with wireless failover.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Personally I like Endian, but it's a little too difficult for most.

When I was playing with Endian, I found it easy...I'd say it's easier to dig into the settings than Untangle.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

So does the Cradlepoint handle the failover?

What order do the appliances go in? Main modem -> Cradle -> UTM -> Rest of network?

Apologies for the newbie questions. This is the first setup I have done with wireless failover.

If you want "failover"...you'll want a router that has multiple WAN ports. Ethernet from primary WAN connection goes into WAN1, ethernet from the backup/second connection goes into WAN2, ethernet from the tertiary connection goes into WAN3, etc etc. So all WAN connections remain connected individually to the router.

Of course not all routers/firewalls handle multiple WAN connections, so you need one that will. Untangle can...but it's a "paid" feature, not avail in the freebie version.