[MLB-WIRELESS] Wireless networking question

[Chris Samuel]

On Tue, Mar 11, 2003 at 11:36:50PM +1100, Joe Hovel wrote:

> Now you're confusing me.... Ipcop is a Firewall - but you call it your
> "software router"...?

OK, quick primer on the terminology:

1) a router is a system that sits between two IP networks and forwards
   packets as necessary between them. It also has the ability to advertise
   what networks it knows how to forward to.

2) a firewall is (in general) a router-like system that as well as
   forwarding traffic between networks can also control that traffic
   in some way and enforce a policy on what is allowed and what is
   not allowed. Firewalls are really an architecture rather than a
   product.

3) a "software router" is just a PC running an OS that has the
   ability of doing what a router does. The difference being that
   most people thing of routers being dedicated hardware systems
   like Cisco routers.

You would want to firewall yourself because if anyone can wander
up to your AP and associate then they have effectively bypassed your
firewall. This is not a good thing!

cheers,
Chris

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