SonicWALL sounds cool. Are there online resources to secure firewalls for your Mac?

[GeneR]

Hi,

I'm hearing a lot of people talk about firewalls and how a firewall that is not properly secured might as well not exist because hackers can still get through. Now, I'm also hearing about SonicWALL (Insanely-Great.com) and their firewall system to create Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

The latter sounds very cool.

http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=1562

However, ignorant as I am about firewalls, and internet security, I was wondering the following:

1.) Is there online documentation about how to secure a firewall on OSX? And does it matter which version of OSX you might have? And if so, what sort of issues each version poses?

2.) Is there any sort of online documentation that Mac Users have culled together to help other Mac users to help protect their macs? I'm thinking since there are so many smart people on this site that perhaps there might be a gathering of minds (so-to-speak) in some quadrant of the internet where this knowledge is shared to the benefit of all Mac people.

If not, I think it would be really empowering for the Mac community to look after its own security needs by helping each other out. Please share your views on this. Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Sun Baked]

Netgear also runs some FW products, http://www.netgear.com/products/routers/comparisonchart.asp

Most of the stuff that is at CompUSA (and Apple) is listed as having a firewall. But these products -- when you read the package -- just serve as wired/wireless NAT routers.

The more expensive products inspect the traffic, and protect against some of the more common DoS/hack attacks -- and should be upgraded regularly. (I'm not sure how often Netgear and Sonicwall upgrade).

If the interest is more toward protecting the "users" from the internet -- there are keyword and site blocking subscription services that help block porn, violence, ect. and are run of these firewalls.

These firewalls usually offer logging services that keep track of what is happening with the router - and is quite helpful during periods of poor service. Of course you can always use a computer and software to accomplish the same thing.

 

[evildead]

Firewall

I ust a Sonnic Wall at work for a small project. Its a great little filewall/router/VPN but... it may be a little advanced for some one that is new to it. But.. if you want to learn... go for it.

You aksed about getting it to work with OSX.. if you get a hardware firewall like the SonnicWall... it dosent matter what OS you are running, or even if its a Computer your protecting for that matter. Any networkable device can be behind it.

The sonnicWall uses a web interface for configuring it. Your a begginer so I would segest that what ever you get, get one with a web interface... they are much simpler than a console interface.

how many computers do you have on your network? You can also run a software filewall if you want. My favoret is NetBarrier... you can do begginer stuff and... set up rules like a pro. Nortons Personal Firewall is pretty good.. not as powerfull as NetBarrier but.. simple to use.



It really depends on how much you want to learn. The with the sonnic wall, you need to set up rules and rank them. Some firewalls well just have a few check boxes:

on _
off _

light security _
Medium security _
tight security _