SmoothWall Express is a Linux-based network firewall distro designed for home and small business use. The SmoothWall project was founded in the summer of 2000 by Lawrence Manning (Principle Code Author) and Richard Morrell (Project Manager). With SmoothWall Express, you can convert a redundant PC into a hardened internet firewall device.
Origin - Home Page: UK - SmoothWall Express
Management Interface: Browser-based GUI
Price: SmoothWall Express is free and Open Source, but SmoothWall Limited, the company behind the SmoothWall project, offers professional support and services to business users.
Key Features:SmoothWall Express provides the following network security features:
- Firewall, VPN, and IDS
- Web, IM, POP3, and SIP proxy services
- DHCP and DNS
- Remote access and QoS
- Real-time traffic graph using AJAX
- Real-time per-IP address traffic stats
- Wireless Access point support
- Time-of-day traffic filtering
- One-click automatic software updates
- Configuration backup to/from floppy
Comments: SmoothWall Express 3 is a run-from-hard drive firewall distro, and it’s easily installed via a menu-based interface. It provides no customization options in the boot partitioning aspect of the install process. Be sure to have a floppy handy if you want your configuration saved to an external device.
Aside from SmoothWall’s the default features and services, there are dozens of community-created enhancements. These enhancements - mods in Smoothie parlance - includes basic feature enhancements like the one to make the system emit system-related beeps, to more advanced features like the WoL. The full list of mods are available here.
Download/Buy: You may download an iso image or a VMWare image for both the 32- and 64-bit architectures. SmoothWall Express is free, but SmoothWall Limited, the company behind it has a range of corporate products and services for business users.
