[Asterisk-Users] Asterisk Box as a Router, Firewall and DHCP Server

[steve szmidt]

On Wednesday 01 June 2005 23:27, Samy Antoun wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm planning to get my Asterisk box out of the LAN,
> get rid of my router and make the box acts as a
> Router, Firewall, DHCP Server (with Shorewall).
>
> I'll do that to be able to use some SIP clients
> remotely.
>
> Does anyone doing the same with the Asterisk box, is
> it a good idea, is there any other solution for the
> SIP emote Clients.
>
> Regards.

It really depends on what kind of load that cpu is going to have. There's no 
technical problems with doing the above. Except I don't see the point with 
having a dhcp server, unless you are an ISP.

My anti dhcp speech: DHCP makes it hard to see who's connection/packets you 
are looking at when you are checking out what is going on on the LAN. You 
won't be able to learn the typical activities that people do, and so be able 
to recognise odd behavor. Every time you see an IP you have to figure out who 
it belongs to. The work to add a specific IP is so short anyway. 

Router and Firewall services are not very consuming, nor is a DHCP server. But 
the idea is that if you start having quality problems or you are going to 
push the box, you'd be smart to have absolutely nothing running but what you 
actually need.

A well configured Linux box is usually better than an off the shelve dedicated 
appliance. They have too many money vs technical issues and technology 
suffers. That's pretty much true with all of them. 

-- 

Steve Szmidt

"They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety 
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
                                Benjamin Franklin