[KLUG Members] question about Linux-based firewall/router/AP appliance

[Bruce Smith]

> How difficult would it be to create a Linux-based firewall, that also 
> is a wireless access point?

I've done it.

> I'd like to do this with a firewall distro, if possible. I'm kinda 
> partial to IPCop, in particular.

Why would you use a firewall distro that requires, a heat generating,
noise making, power sucking, high point of failure, hard drive?  :-)

> My idea is to setup 3 interfaces: Red, Green and have a wireless NIC 
> setup as Blue. This would eliminate the need to maintain another piece 
> of hardware.

I don't use a wireless NIC (although I probably could), I just have 3
NIC's in my firewall, one to the internet, one to my wired LAN, and one
to my WAP.  That isolates my WAP from my wired LAN in case anyone breaks
into my wireless they can't get to my desktops.

> I'm assuming a firewall distro would be the best thing to accomplish 
> this with, as it would most likely be more secure than a full-blown 
> linux distro...

I think a full distro would be overkill, and it still has that nasty
requirement of a hard drive.  I prefer a distro that runs off CD.  Even
if someone hacked a [poorly setup] firewall, they'd have a hard time
root'ing a CD!  :-)

http://www.devil-linux.org/

 - BS