Anybody still use a proxy server? Other solutions?

[neovan]

I'm looking for other solutions to use instead of a proxy server. I use it to restrict ip addresses to access certain sites and basically as a firewall. What other things should I look into?

TIA

 

[AFB]

You could use a consumer broadband router for every thing you listed. Is this for a business or for a home?

 

[neovan]

Its for a business. I've been looking into the Microsoft ISA server. Is that any good? Anybody has any experience with it?

 

[AFB]

If all you want is a firewall and to block a few sites, just get a firewall. It should run you $200-$400 depending on the features you want. It doesn't sound like you using that many features of the proxy.
Change the title to firewall recomendations and you will get a lot. I would under no condtions stick a Microsoft box on the net. :Q

 

[mrbios]

I've found that the newer SMC routers will do everything that you're asking. We have a $2500 Sonicwall firewall at work, but I've found the $40 SMC router I have at home does the majority of the things that the Sonicwall does: URL blocking, port forwarding, virtual servers, etc. Not a bad firewall at all for such a low cost device.

 

[skyking]

I am using an smc 7004VBR in a business environment, and it is not holding up to the traffic. Just a word of caution, it wedges regularly.