At Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:48:14 -0500 CentOS mailing list <centos@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Hi Everyone, > > I've got kids who are growing older and I want to build a Linux box to > filter Internet access. I've got six computers on the Internet, plus > the laptops -- most run Windows. I'm not sure if it's called a router > or gateway or...? I don't mind doing the leg work, I just don't know > where to start. I'm pretty sure I'm *not* looking for a web server > (though it might be fun to have a local web) -- I might also use the > computer for a file server, but I mostly want a... proxy server? Not > sure what tool I need to use. I seem to remember there were specialty > Linux distributions for this purpose. > > Once I do figure out what kind of box I'm building, would I still be > able to put my Linksys router behind it, or would the Linux box *be* > the router? -- and would I have to get a wireless switch instead? > Would a Pentium III handle this duty, or would it gum up the works and > make the Internet too slow? It depends. The CentOS box could be a router. Typically you'd have two NICs (Network Interface Cards), one connecting to your cable/DSL/whatever 'modem', and the other to your LAN. Your Linksys router would then become merely a switch and wireless AP. You would probably disable the Linksys router's dhcp server and on-board caching name server, and transfer these functions to the CentOS box. Ditto for the firewall. CentOS can also run a 'proxy' server, which could be used to filter / block / etc. access to web sites eg it could be used to limit 'teenage' access to certain sorts of websites for various reasons, including traffic limitations (no Youtube/iTunes video/audio downloads while daddy/mommy needs to use VPN to connect with the office, no IM'ing after bedtime on school nights, etc.). With the addition of the shaper module, you can also create a separate 'teen' virtual network with limited bandwidth. Your Linksys router IS a simple 32-bit computer running Linux (typicall an ARM processor, not really any faster than a PIII, probably slower actually). A PIII has more than enough processing power to function as a router, DNS, and DHCP server. And probably as a proxy server too. The proxy server's limitations would mostly be a matter of fast enough disk access, partitularly if it was set up as a caching proxy server. > > Sorry for stupid questions. At some point I'm going to have to learn > about Linux servers. I'm hoping this project will help me get started > on that. > > Thanks for any pointers. > -- Robert Heller -- 978-544-6933 Deepwoods Software -- Download the Model Railroad System http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Binaries for Linux and MS-Windows heller@xxxxxxxxxxxx -- http://www.deepsoft.com/ModelRailroadSystem/ _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@xxxxxxxxxx http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos