Re: Traffic monitoring in small office

[Marty <martyb@ix.netcom.com>]

rocky wrote:
> On May 17, 8:10 pm, Marty <mar...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > rocky wrote:
> > >  Hey,
> >
> > > In my office, we have 11 computers. We have 2 2M broad band accounts
> > > from our ISP. We use a router combines 2 income cable and use 2 8
> > > ports switches to make every computer have the Internet access. The
> > > problem is right now we got very unstable Internet access. Therefore,
> > > I'm thinking of instead of directly connect 2 switches to router, I
> > > connect 1 Debian box(has 2 NIC) to the router and then distribute the
> > > Internet access to all 11 PCs through a 16 port switch which is
> > > connected to the Debian system. In this way I can install traffic
> > > monitoring application s on Debian box to analyze the problems. Can
> > > any of you tell me whether this is a good way to do it please? If it
> > > is what are the applications I should put in Debian box? If it is not
> > > a good way, what is your suggestions please?
> >
> > > Thanks a lotï¼?
> >
> > > Blessings,
> > > Rocky
> >
> > The routing "application" is linux (iptables), with several specific IP and
> > netfilter drivers/modules.  The easy way is to just throw in all the networking
> > relates ones, since they don't take up much memory unless you are using an old
> > PC as your router/firwall, as I do.
> >
> > There are several applications to configure iptables, a popular choice being
> > shorewall, although for initial setup guarddog/guidedog might be a little easier
> > to use.  There are several Debian network monitoring applications, e.g., iptraf
> > and tcpdump.
> >
> > --
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>
> Hey,
>
> Thank you very much for your reply!
>
> I forget to tell you we do not get static IP addresses from our ISP.
> Since I'm quite new to networking area. Can any of you answer my
> following questions please?
>
> 1, If I use iptables to throw all of my 2 networking serverce get from
> my ISP into one. I will have at least 3 NIC (2 for get onto the WAN
> and I for connect to 16 port switch which distribute internet access
> to 14 computers), Am I right? Plus, is this doable?

Yes, although I have not done it, so I can't offer any advice.  You can check 
the list archives for threads on this topic.  There are many good networking 
HOWTOs that may help you.

> 2, If I use the above configuration, does the band width is the sum of
> the 2 accounts I got from my ISP?

I don't know.  It depends on many variables.

> 3, With the above set up and put firewall server on the debian box, do
> my Windows XP PCs spared from the virus?

It's probably not sufficient.  Some users insist on always having administrator 
privileges.  No firewall will protect against that.

> Thanks a lot in advance!
>
> Blessings,
> Rocky