Best router appliance with integrated DNS

Hi everyone,

I am (among other things) administrating my company's small network. A
few years ago I configured a Debian box to handle routing, DHCP and
DNS. Thanks to dnsmasq, it was all very easy to setup and it works just
fine. But the computer is getting old and I am the only employee to be
familiar with linux so if something goes wrong when I'm in vacation,
the entire company would be stuck and they would probably blame it on
me using linux :-(

So I'd like to replace the computer with a network appliance that will
be a router and firewall with DHCP and DNS. I'm looking for something
real easy to configure. Typically I imagine a web interface with a
table where, for given MAC addresses, you choose the corresponding
fixed IPs and hostnames. Other machines get a dynamic IP through DHCP.

This sounds like basic networking to me so I'd hope that such an
appliance exists. Do you know any and if you do, which one would you
buy?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Thomas

On 28 Aug 2006 06:47:45 -0700
"Lethal Possum" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I am (among other things) administrating my company's small network. A
> few years ago I configured a Debian box to handle routing, DHCP and
> DNS. Thanks to dnsmasq, it was all very easy to setup and it works
> just fine. But the computer is getting old and I am the only employee
> to be familiar with linux so if something goes wrong when I'm in
> vacation, the entire company would be stuck and they would probably
> blame it on me using linux :-(
>
> So I'd like to replace the computer with a network appliance that will
> be a router and firewall with DHCP and DNS. I'm looking for something
> real easy to configure. Typically I imagine a web interface with a
> table where, for given MAC addresses, you choose the corresponding
> fixed IPs and hostnames. Other machines get a dynamic IP through DHCP.
>
> This sounds like basic networking to me so I'd hope that such an
> appliance exists. Do you know any and if you do, which one would you
> buy?

The linksys routers are apt for such a role.

If you fear the Linux box is old, just apt-get dist-upgrade (be careful)
or replace the hardware, they're only like £(ukp)200 or a few bucks for
something like a PentiumD. More than enough bang there for the above
tasks.

--
Regards, Ed :: http://www.openbsdhacker.com
proud linux person
In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court
for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped a maximum
security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted
by the government they survived ad soldiers of fortune, until Mr. T
found them and beat them to death with his bare hands.

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 06:47:45 -0700, Lethal Possum rearranged some
electrons to form:

> Hi everyone,
>
> I am (among other things) administrating my company's small network. A
> few years ago I configured a Debian box to handle routing, DHCP and
> DNS. Thanks to dnsmasq, it was all very easy to setup and it works just
> fine. But the computer is getting old and I am the only employee to be
> familiar with linux so if something goes wrong when I'm in vacation,
> the entire company would be stuck and they would probably blame it on
> me using linux :-(
>
> So I'd like to replace the computer with a network appliance that will
> be a router and firewall with DHCP and DNS. I'm looking for something
> real easy to configure. Typically I imagine a web interface with a
> table where, for given MAC addresses, you choose the corresponding
> fixed IPs and hostnames. Other machines get a dynamic IP through DHCP.
>
> This sounds like basic networking to me so I'd hope that such an
> appliance exists. Do you know any and if you do, which one would you
> buy?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Thomas

www.linksys.com
www.netgear.com
www.dlink.com
www.cisco.com

to name a few.


--
David M (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14 has been up 4 days 21:52

Hi,

I am sorry but can you give me the reference of a specific model by
example. I've been searching main manufacturers web site before posting
on this forum and I did not see any model that was explicitly said to
integrate a DNS service. This last point is important : if I want to
replace my linux router by an appliance, I need it to be able to
resolve hostnames to chosen IPs, not just forward DNS request to
another machine.

Thanks for your help,

Thomas

ed wrote:
> On 28 Aug 2006 06:47:45 -0700
>
> The linksys routers are apt for such a role.
>
> If you fear the Linux box is old, just apt-get dist-upgrade (be careful)
> or replace the hardware, they're only like £(ukp)200 or a few bucks for
> something like a PentiumD. More than enough bang there for the above
> tasks.
>
> --
> Regards, Ed :: http://www.openbsdhacker.com
> proud linux person
> In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court
> for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped a maximum
> security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted
> by the government they survived ad soldiers of fortune, until Mr. T
> found them and beat them to death with his bare hands.

Lethal Possum wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>
> I am (among other things) administrating my company's small network. A
> few years ago I configured a Debian box to handle routing, DHCP and
> DNS. Thanks to dnsmasq, it was all very easy to setup and it works just
> fine. But the computer is getting old and I am the only employee to be
> familiar with linux so if something goes wrong when I'm in vacation,
> the entire company would be stuck and they would probably blame it on
> me using linux :-(
>
> So I'd like to replace the computer with a network appliance that will
> be a router and firewall with DHCP and DNS. I'm looking for something
> real easy to configure. Typically I imagine a web interface with a
> table where, for given MAC addresses, you choose the corresponding
> fixed IPs and hostnames. Other machines get a dynamic IP through DHCP.

www.ipcop.org

Use any hardware from a 486 on up, it can do anything an appliance can,
and more.

It has a web interface, and a baby could configure it.

J