Re: Routers and firewalls

["alcinababe" <alcinababe@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "White, Peter" <peter.white@b...>
wrote:
> Sorry to continue this question, but I just have a quick one, now that
> broadband is coming may way within the next couple of months.....

yay!  You'll never look back! :)


> Currently I just have a simple ethernet network, via an el cheapo
switch,
> with 2 PCs, a Rio and TiVo hanging off it, plus the work laptop when
I 'm at
> home.  For the laptop I'd like to set up a wireless link into the
network,
> but everything else will remain ethernet connected fttb.  I'd like to
be
> able to access the main PC and TiVo remotely, so that I can schedule
> recordings and access Homeseer.
>
> What do I need?  I'm just about to place my pre-order with Eclipse,
they
> don't offer any wireless stuff, so I just need to build up a
shopping list.

You need a wireless card for every wireless device you want to have,
and a wireless base station to receive all the wireless signals and
act as a bridge between them and the hard wired network.

I assume you mean by "access main PC remotely" that you wish to
access
it from anywhere in the world and not just anywhere on your home
network?  IN order to do that you need to be absolutely sure about the
security on your PC as it will be open to The World not just to you.
And once you have broadband it's open 24/7 not just the 30 minutes
you're online via dialup.  The simple answer is either a) have no
firewall (UNWISE in the extreme) or b) make a hole in your firewall to
allow traffic to your computer/tivo on whichever port is necessary.
But remember, the whole world can see it, not just you.  Think about
your security.  And if I haven't mentioned it before....think bout
your security.  Whilst I'm not saying use IPCop, if you look at their
pages (www.ipcop.org) you'll get some idea about how firewalls work,
about holes in firewalls and demilitarized zones (DMZ).

If you mean the latter (access from *within* your home network) you
don't need to change a thing :)

As to whether or not you need an adsl modem/router/firewall/etc. check
the ADSL thread.

> Do I need a fixed-IP to be able to access things?

Nope.  If you register with somewhere like www.dyndns.org then you can
have a dynamic dns name which is allocated to whatever IP number you
may receive from your ISP.  This means that although you have a random
IP number, you can always access your network via the same dns name.
You need never know what particular IP number you have at any time.

Alcina