Rebellious
join:2008-05-28
 ·AT&T Southeast
| Configuring Linksys WRT54GL router with NVIDIA Firewall
There are millions of users with hardware-based NVIDIA firewall on their motherboard and many of them also have Linksys WRT54GL router. How to make NVIDIA Network Access Manager (ActiveArmor Firewall) work with Linksys WRT54GL router?
NVIDIA Firewall is probably not needed since the Linksys WRT54GL hardware firewall is sufficient. (the Netopia DSL modem also has a built-in firewall, should it be disabled?)
But ActiveArmor Firewall has an application filter, IAM (Intelligent Application Manager) to allow/disallow apps individually. You'd be shocked to know how many apps access the internet or call home without permission.
Internet service works fine with Linksys WRT54GL router, but NVIDIA Firewall blocks all local network traffic, i.e. home network computers connected to the router.
To resolve, in Forceware setup:
(1) create a custom profile, rename it to "Custom WRT54GL" or something similar, and "re-generate profile" based on the standard Medium profile (or your existing profile). Skip this step if you're already using a custom profile.
(2) Select "Wizards" and run the "Windows File Sharing and Joining a Domain" wizard. It's an easy one-step process. Networked computers will now show up in Windows' "My Network Places", and you will be able to access their files in Windows Explorer (or any other application).
I also noticed in the Firewall Log, "Blocked DHCP Server Traffic (DHCPv4 Request from Client: MAC address…)". So I think the wizard "DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)" should be run as well, but I'm not sure. The firewall "Administrator's Guide" (.PDF doc) has instructions for this on page 56, "DHCP Server/Client configuration".
I'm no expert, I just googled and read the manual. So do the experts think that:
(1) The Netopia DSL modem's built-in firewall should be disabled?
(2) Should the NVIDIA wizard "DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)" be run? |
Rebellious
join:2008-05-28
·AT&T Southeast
| Quoting from the NVIDIA ForceWare Networking Administrator’s Guide:
DHCP Server
1. Open the Firewall > Basic Configuration page and select a custom profile.
2. To allow DHCP server traffic, you can do one of the following:
a. From the Firewall menu, click Wizards to open the page.
b. Click DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and then select the server and finish.
OR
a. From the NVIDA Firewall menu, click Advanced Configuration and then click Anti-Hacking to open the page.
b. Clear the Disallow DHCP server check box and click Submit.
c. From the Firewall menu, click Advanced Configuration and then click UDP/TCP Port to open the page.
d. Confirm that port 53 Domain Name Service UDP is set to Allow (inbound
and outbound) |
