Securing Openband home network

Openband homes are connected to the net via a hub which connects to a fiberoptic conversion box and then a fiberoptic wire out the house. With Windows XP, it is difficult to setup a home network via the hub since each PC needs to be firewalled. I am considering replacing the provided hub with a Wireless router that has 4 ports in the back. The router will provide firewall protection and allow for easier home networking in theory. Plus when I decide to get a wireless lan card or device I'll all ready have a WIFI basestation (router). Currently if you try to share printers or other periphials on your home network, I think they can be seen by other Openband home networks within the Openband "smartneighborhood". XP networking warns of this possibility. Has anyone sucessfully replaced their hub with a router to impove their home network security? If so, which router worked for you. I am also seeking to impove my PC's ability to host online games which it cannot do reliably with my current Openband hub architecture.

 

kholbert,

See the following threads, which discuss home networking/routers:
http://www.hoa.broadlands.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1028
http://www.hoa.broadlands.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=976

See also my post in the "Do I need a Firewall?" thread:

The D-link router discussed in this post works great for me. I installed it, and within minutes had configured it to network my entire home. I also turned off my Windows XP firewalls, which were causing networking problems like those you discuss above. My router was not wireless, but I think D-link sells a comparable wireless router.

Good luck!

Edit: And you don't need to "replace" your hub (I assume you are talking about your switch?). All you need to do is place the router between the fiber converter and your switch.

 

You could also pipe that line from the converter box to a proxy server. I just ordered a server from Dell and thats what I plan on doing. Maybe I'll install Gentoo if I'm feeling a bit paranoid.

You can also use Ethereal to see what kind of traffic is coming and going.

-Teak