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Proxy server? Who has one at home? Worth it?

MichaelD

MichaelD

Lifer
If this is in the wrong forum, please move it (just please tell me where it went though! 🙂)

I've been reading up on internet security and networking in general. Trying to smarten-up to hang w/you guys! 😉 I've been reading on the advantages of a Proxy Server and have been thinking of doing it with my old box. I just don't know if the box is good enough (enough memory) or if it's advantageous to do so.

The old box is a Dell. Intel mobo, 810 chipset, I think. It's one of those micro AT boards. It's not an ATX.. PIII 550e, 256mb PC100 20G HD. Onboard vid and audio. I have a Router/Hub and DSL. The router is configured as a firewall. I'm already fairly invisible (nothing's perfect) but wouldn't mind being a little more so.

Could someone educate me and kind of fill me in on this whole proxy thing? Please? Thanks much.
 
If you've already got a router/firewall setup then I don't think a proxy is going to add much secuirity to your setup. It's basically overkill. I've got on setup in my house right now just to share net access (56k at that) between two computers. The advantages I found for using the proxy was that it was free (AnalogX's free windows proxy), ran on the system I had (K6-2 400mhz w/ 64mb was MORE than enough), and was generally just easy to setup and get going. It puts a lot of restrictions on what you can do though (the proxy only supports web, email, nntp, and ftp out of box. anything else MUST have SOCKS-support, which not all things do)

So if I were you I wouldn't bother, but if you want to do it that box has plenty power with plenty more to spare (I'd throw rc5 or seti on it if you were just proxying with it just to feel like I wasn't wasting computing power).
 
Proxy is not needed on a home network, it is a pain in the arse for gaming and some other stuff. You said you want the sharing to be more invisable... Proxy is the opposite of that 🙂 While it is good for big buisnesses due to its caching which will lower internet traffic it has little to no effect on a small home network. There are some decent Proxys which will work with basically all programs since it combines NAT and Proxy like Wingate, but it is not easy to setup at all. I personally just use Sygate as NAT software, but since you have a Router you dont even need that.
 
I've got a proxy running. Mainly because I'm too broke to buy a decent router. It's a hassle to setup though, at least when compared to a router with DHCP.


 
Thanks guys. Another not so bright idea of mine...I am more educated now, though, so my post was worth something! 🙂 <Mike climbs back under rock and sleeps>
 


<< I've got a proxy running. Mainly because I'm too broke to buy a decent router. It's a hassle to setup though, at least when compared to a router with DHCP. >>



Thats why I recommend NAT like Sygate if you dont have a router. Sygate is so easy to setup its not funny, and its basically invisable to the client PCs, plus it has DHCP built in.
 
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