Best firewall operating system?

[eldren]

I'm currently using Smoothwall v1, but I'm thinking of reinstalling my firewall sometime in the coming weeks (The current harddrive is a right noisy thing. ). As such, if I want to, this would be the time to switch over. So, as per the poll, which is the best firewall operating system?

[turkster]

I'm currently using Smoothwall 2.0 and although I havent really investigated other options it does everything I need and has loads of interesting functions (such as dhcp server, proxy server, vpn options, ssh remote access, dynamic dns update etc) that I havent tried yet .

[Xaneden]

SmoothWall 2.0 is by far the best. (Thus I voted for it)

[Moby-Dick]

for a GPL "pure" firewall then smoothwall is pretty good.

clarkconnect is more of a gateway server.

not played with IPcop

[Xaneden]

I'd be interested to see what IPcop is like, would someone give an overview of the things it has please?

[eldren]

Smoothwall v1 already has all those things, turkster. Any other features you know of that would warrant an update?

Any reason you say that of Clarkconnect, Moby? It seems to have more features than even Smoothwall, from what I see on its site.

[Craig]

I have used Clarkconnect, IPcop and SmoothWall before but i changed to m0n0wall a while back, its the dogs danglies

Craig

[Norky]

I just use Knoppix STD (hd installed) with iptables and webmin/vnc for administration.

[Moby-Dick]

I like Clark connect , but I prefer the streamlined nature of smoothwall for a pure firewall.It only runs the modules it needs rather than allowing all the extra plugins - the fewer modules on a system ( from an over paranoid point of view , which is often the one that network security is taken from ) then there are fewer modules that can be comprimised.

If I wanted a full on gateway machine to act as more of a "server" than a smoothwall , which is a pure networking appliance then CC would be very high on my list.

[ikkitousen]

hmm smoothwall looks very intresting would i benefit if i had a router which already ahd a firewall?

[spazman]

Running smoothwall 1 here works a treat.

[eldren]

Tuding - unless you want the DHCP, transparent proxying or caching DNS features, it's probably not worth your time (Assuming your router's firewall is up to scratch). Of course, you could always just set it up on a old computer and temporarily replace your router with it for a day or two, see how it works.