Besides the enjoyment of a good wine, I like a good challenge when it comes to software.  Currently I have been working on getting Trixbox CE working, but we will leave that to another entry. This blog entry  is about SmoothWall, which is in short a Linksys, Netgear, etc.. router, firewall, DHCP replacement for small business or home. I found this program when trying to get the right ports working on my Linksys router, which I bricked in the process. I found in working with all kinds of software both Windows and Linux, port configuration is always involved. SmoothWall makes port tweaking so much more friendly and simpler.  You do need to dedicate a computer with two NIC for the program and a multi port switch if you are planning to connect more then one computer to the internet. I am using a small Linksys 5 port 10/100 currently, but only have my 2008 SBS, Ubuntu Web server, Trixbox CE and a Linksys Wireless G attached to the switch.

While on the SmoothWall website I would recommend watching the video they have posted. Installation and configuration of the two NIC was easy enough. Then using a web browser on another computer within the network, I accessed the GUI and configured the port forwarding, DHCP, and poked around the different capabilities of the software. I found it easier then working within an off the shelf for home use router.  It is a great piece of software and would be something I would recommend for those who need to replace or upgrade their current router and have an extra computer laying around. For those who are afraid of Linux, this would be a great entry into Linux world. Just as a side note the computer that I have installed this on is quite old with a 6GB HD.