Router suggestions: Cisco SOHO 70 and 800 series routers?

[LordFortius]

Does anyone know anything about these routers? I am getting kind of sick of the crashes and unreliability of products from D-link and SMC, and I was thinking that when I buy my next router I might want to get something a little more high end. Speficifically what I want to know is how thoroughly I can configure the router from just the built in CRWS that allows one to setup the router with a web browser. It would be nice if I could configure stuff like DMZ, port mapping, etc, without having to hook up to the console and learn all those commands for Cisco's IOS software. I wouldn't mind learning how to use the software, but I just don't know how difficult it will be. For example, could someone give me an example of what I would have to do to forward all traffic through port 21 to a certain local IP address? Or is the CRWS full featured enough that I'll almost never need to use the console? I don't mean to add anything too complicated to the firewall and routing settings, just the stuff I already mentioned like port mapping, DMZ, special apps, etc.

Alternatively, should I just save some money and try a router from Linksys?

 

[LordFortius]

bump

 

[dtoff]

hey id go for the cisco pix 501 granted it about $450 but its a great firewall and a router.

 

[Shadow07]

Well. Learning the Cisco IOS is not tough at all, it's just keeping up with the different software revs.

In order to setup port forwarding, you would need too do the following (using FTP as you example):

static (outside,inside) 1.2.3.4 5.6.7.8 netmask 255.255.255.255
conduit permit tcp host 1.2.3.4 eq ftp 5.6.7.8
conduit permit tcp host 1.2.3.4 eq ftp-data 5.6.7.8

where 1.2.3.4 is your outside IP, and 5.6.7.8 is the Internal IP on your DMZ. Of course you can have this IP address on your Internal private network, but I don't recommend that.

You basically will setup static routes (don't get these confused with static routes on routes, as these routes will not be shares with other routers/devices), and then setup conduits, which is basically an ACL. This is not easier than your SMC or D-Link broadband router. But, from what I have been told about the PIX 506, there is a pretty cool web interface that you can configure basic rules and settings for the firewall.

But, another vote for the PIX 506.

 

[LordFortius]

Thanks for the info. I'll definitely look into that pix 506.

 

[dtoff]

the pix 501 has the same interface... they can both also be configured threw the command line. the 506 has more 10 base t ports (im guessing for failover) and i think the 506 is more for vpns. check Here for a good comparison and what PIX is good for what