ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall FVG318 Reference Manual

xvi

About This Manual

v1.0, September 2007

1-1

v1.0, September 2007

Chapter 1

Introduction

This chapter describes the features of the NETGEAR® ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall,

Model FVG318.

Key Features of the VPN Firewall Router

The ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall with eight-port switch connects your local area

network (LAN) to the Internet through an external access device such as a cable modem or DSL

modem and provides 802.11b/g wireless LAN connectivity.

The FVG318 is a complete security solution that protects your network from attacks and

intrusions. Unlike simple Internet sharing firewalls that rely on Network Address Translation

(NAT) for security, the FVG318 uses stateful packet inspection for Denial of Service attack (DoS)

protection and intrusion detection. The FVG318 allows Internet access for up to 253 users. The

VPN firewall provides you with multiple Web content filtering options, plus browsing activity

reporting and instant alerts—both via e-mail. Parents and network administrators can establish

restricted access policies based on time-of-day, Web site addresses and address keywords, and

share high-speed cable/DSL Internet access for up to 253 personal computers. In addition to NAT,

the built-in firewall protects you from hackers.

With minimum setup, you can install and use the firewall within minutes.

The VPN firewall provides the following features:

•

802.11g and 802.11b standards-based wireless networking.

•

Wireless Multimedia (WMM) support.

•

Easy, Web-based setup for installation and management.

•

Front panel LEDs for easy monitoring of status and activity.

•

Content filtering and site blocking security.

•

Built-in eight-port 10/100 Mbps switch.

•

Ethernet connection to a WAN device, such as a cable modem or DSL modem.

•

Extensive protocol support.

•

Flash memory for firmware upgrade.

ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall FVG318 Reference Manual

1-2

Introduction

v1.0, September 2007

802.11g and 802.11b Wireless Networking

The VPN firewall includes an 802.11g-compliant wireless access point. The access point provides:

•

802.11b standards-based wireless networking at up to 11 Mbps.

•

802.11g wireless networking at up to 54 Mbps, which conforms to the 802.11g standard.

•

WPA and WPA2 enterprise class strong security with RADIUS and certificate authentication

as well as dynamic encryption key generation.

•

WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK pre-shared key authentication without the overhead of RADIUS

servers but with all of the strong security of WPA and WPA2.

•

64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption security.

•

WEP keys can be generated manually or by passphrase.

•

Wireless access can be restricted by MAC Address.

•

Wireless network name broadcast can be turned off so that only devices that have the network

name (SSID) can connect.

Wireless Multimedia (WMM) Support

WMM is a subset of the 802.11e standard. WMM allows wireless traffic to have a range of

priorities, depending on the kind of data. Time-dependent information such as video or audio will

have a higher priority than normal traffic. For WMM to function correctly, wireless clients must

also support WMM.

A Powerful, True Firewall with Content Filtering

Unlike simple Internet sharing NAT firewalls, the FVG318 is a true firewall, using stateful packet

inspection to defend against hacker attacks. Its firewall features include:

•

DoS protection.

Automatically detects and thwarts DoS attacks such as Ping of Death, SYN Flood, LAND

Attack, and IP Spoofing.

•

Blocks unwanted traffic from the Internet to your LAN.

•

Blocks access from your LAN to Internet locations or services that you specify as off-limits.

•

Logs security incidents.

ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall FVG318 Reference Manual

Introduction

1-3

v1.0, September 2007

The FVG318 logs security events such as blocked incoming traffic, port scans, attacks, and

administrator logins. You can configure the firewall to email the log to you at specified

intervals. You can also configure the firewall to send immediate alert messages to your e-mail

address or email pager whenever a significant event occurs.

•

With its content filtering feature, the FVG318 prevents objectionable content from reaching

your PCs. The firewall allows you to control access to Internet content by screening for

keywords within Web addresses. You can configure the firewall to log and report attempts to

access objectionable Internet sites.

Security

The VPN firewall is equipped with several features designed to maintain security, as described in

this section.

•

PCs Hidden by NAT.

NAT opens a temporary path to the Internet for requests originating

from the local network. Requests originating from outside the LAN are discarded, preventing

users outside the LAN from finding and directly accessing the PCs on the LAN.

•

Port Forwarding with NAT.

Although NAT prevents Internet locations from directly

accessing the PCs on the LAN, the firewall allows you to direct incoming traffic to specific

PCs based on the service port number of the incoming request, or to one designated DNS host

computer. You can specify forwarding of single ports or ranges of ports.

Autosensing Ethernet Connections with Auto Uplink

With its internal eight-port 10/100 switch, the FVG318 can connect to either a 10 Mbps standard

Ethernet network or a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network. Both the LAN and WAN interfaces are

autosensing and capable of full-duplex or half-duplex operation.

The firewall incorporates Auto Uplink

TM

technology. Each Ethernet port automatically senses

whether the Ethernet cable plugged into the port should have a normal connection such as to a PC

or an uplink connection such as to a switch or hub. That port then configures itself to the correct

configuration. This feature also eliminates the need to worry about crossover cables, as Auto

Uplink will accommodate either type of cable to make the right connection.

Extensive Protocol Support

The VPN firewall supports the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and

Routing Information Protocol

(RIP). For further information about TCP/IP, refer to

Appendix B,

“Related Documents

.”

ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall FVG318 Reference Manual

1-4

Introduction

v1.0, September 2007

•

IP Address Sharing by NAT.

The VPN firewall allows several networked PCs to share an

Internet account using only a single IP address, which may be statically or dynamically

assigned by your Internet service provider (ISP). This technique, known as NAT, allows the

use of an inexpensive single-user ISP account.

•

Automatic Configuration of Attached PCs by DHCP.

The VPN firewall dynamically

assigns network configuration information, including IP, gateway, and Domain Name Server

(DNS) addresses, to attached PCs on the LAN using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

(DHCP). This feature greatly simplifies configuration of PCs on your local network.

•

DNS Proxy.

When DHCP is enabled and no DNS addresses are specified, the firewall

provides its own address as a DNS server to the attached PCs. The firewall obtains actual DNS

addresses from the ISP during connection setup and forwards DNS requests from the LAN.

•

Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE).

PPPoE is a protocol for connecting remote

hosts to the Internet over a DSL connection by simulating a dial-up connection. This feature

eliminates the need to run a login program such as Entersys or WinPOET on your PC.

Easy Installation and Management

You can install, configure, and operate the ProSafe 802.11g Wireless VPN Firewall within minutes

after connecting it to the network. The following features simplify installation and management

tasks:

•

Browser-based management.

Browser-based configuration allows you to easily configure

your firewall from almost any type of personal computer, such as Windows, Macintosh, or

Linux. A user-friendly Setup Wizard is provided and online help documentation is built into

the browser-based Web Management Interface.

•

Smart Wizard.

The VPN firewall automatically senses the type of Internet connection, asking

you only for the information required for your type of ISP account.

•

Diagnostic functions.

The firewall incorporates built-in diagnostic functions such as Ping,

DNS lookup, and remote reboot.

•

Remote management.

The firewall allows you to login to the Web Management Interface

from a remote location on the Internet. For security, you can limit remote management access

to a specified remote IP address or range of addresses, and you can choose a nonstandard port

number.

•

Visual monitoring.

The VPN firewall’s front panel LEDs provide an easy way to monitor its

status and activity.