Load balancing firewalls?

Question

Hi All,I'm setting up a dual-ISP setup at home (cable modem and ADSL) and am shopping around a dual-ISP-capable firewall box.Ideally, I'd like the box to be able to handle:1)  DMZ (at least one zone) because I'll be hooking up a gaming server off of this router2)  Static and Dynamic NAT3)  Load balancing (combining and treating the two ISPs like a single, large data pipe both in and out) for those computers not in the DMZ (that computer is getting a static IP).4)  Web-manageable (not Cisco PIX CLI)I'm thinking like the Firebox X500 + Fireware Pro or Sonic Wall TZ-170 +SonicOS Upgrade maybe.I'm open to all ideas; the cheaper, the better.Thanks,Curtis

Michael Thompson · Accepted Answer

Shade bashed at the keyboard and came up with this gem of wisdom in Linux. BSD

Imhotep · Answer

I use FreeBSD's ipfw. It is an excellent firewall...Imhotep

Shade · Answer

I appreciate the ideas of FreeBSD and Linux, but I'm trying to avoid a CLI.

Somebody. · Answer

Interested to hear if you find something that does load balancing in a price range you can live with.  Many low to medium firewalls do everything you want except the load balancing.-Russ.

Volker Birk · Answer

Better change your mind. I don't know any single person, who is not able to use a CLI but is able to understand much about networking and computer security.

And this conincidence is no fortuity, I bet.

BTW: there are many GUIs and web UIs for netfilter and other free filtering software, too.

Yours, VB.

Shade · Answer

Actually, Xincom's DPG-502 and DPG-602 appear to be viable alternatives.  The 502 can be had for under $150 from  .  I haven't been able to discern the difference between the 502 and 602 except for a $300 price discrepancy.

Somebody. · Answer

Those look kind of neat, if they work as advertised.  They could be used outside of a "real" firewall potentially.-Russ.

Load balancing firewalls?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?