Best place for a proxy/cache

Hi all,

I'd like folks opinion on the following:

We have a network of 5 pc that are often downloading the same data and it
strikes me that some form of proxy server/cache would help to speed things
up and make better use of the internet connection.

The 5 pcs connect to a Ethernet switch that sits connects to the trusted
port on a firewall/router (Netscreen device) which has its own DHCP server
built in.

The untrusted port of the Netscreen connects to a Draytek modem/router with
SPI, and thence to a 2M ADSL line.

I have a1.5G athlon machine running Win98 SE spare, although I could put XP
up at a pinch.

So, if I want to add a caching mechanism, where is the best place to put it?

In the DMZ between the netsceen and modem?
Use the Win98 with some software (any suggestions?), double home it ( make
it a proxy server) and put it between the Ethernet switch and the Netscreen?
I thought of products like WinProxy in this second case but am open to other
Windoze-based suggestions.
Other suggestions?

Thanks for any help

Kind regards, Mike

In article <411a31de$0$547$(E-Mail Removed)>, "fred
bloggs" (E-Mail Removed) says...
> Hi all,
>
> I'd like folks opinion on the following:
>
> We have a network of 5 pc that are often downloading the same data and it
> strikes me that some form of proxy server/cache would help to speed things
> up and make better use of the internet connection.
>
> The 5 pcs connect to a Ethernet switch that sits connects to the trusted
> port on a firewall/router (Netscreen device) which has its own DHCP server
> built in.
>
> The untrusted port of the Netscreen connects to a Draytek modem/router with
> SPI, and thence to a 2M ADSL line.
>
> I have a1.5G athlon machine running Win98 SE spare, although I could put XP
> up at a pinch.
>
> So, if I want to add a caching mechanism, where is the best place to put it?
>
> In the DMZ between the netsceen and modem?

Why put the proxy on a different network from the client machines?
If you do that you need to harden the server against any attacks that
the Netscreen would otherwise block, so you might as well get rid of the
Netscreen and use the proxy server as a firewall/router.

> Use the Win98 with some software (any suggestions?), double home it ( make
> it a proxy server) and put it between the Ethernet switch and the Netscreen?

In this case the proxy would also be acting as a router - see above.

> I thought of products like WinProxy in this second case but am open to other
> Windoze-based suggestions.
> Other suggestions?
>
Why use Windows when Linux is probably better suited to this sort of
task?
This is available for Windows or Linux:
http://www.delegate.org/delegate/

Whatever software/OS you use, the simplest way to hook it up is as a
client of the Netscreen (but using a static IP address). Point the
other machines at the proxy, point the proxy at your router.