Desktop as a Router

[Kraven]

Anyone ever convert a desktop into a router? If so, how did it go?

Just purchased 2 surplus desktops from work for 50$ each (Dell3020), planing on installing the x86 DD-WRT s/w on it.

Cheers, K

 

[Magic Static]

Routers are cheap and use way less power than a desktop. I thought about doing that once. Are you going to add a network card for every device? I think you may have an exercise in a lot for little there.

 

[Claude Greiner]

There was a program called win proxy that did that. Had to use it to network starband in the early days

 

[Kraven]

Routers are cheap and use way less power than a desktop. I thought about doing that once. Are you going to add a network card for every device? I think you may have an exercise in a lot for little there.

PC feeding into a switch for the extra ports. Besides the XBOX, Bravia and Roku3...everything else is wireless. Mostly doing it for "educational purposes".... bonus if it makes the VPN run faster

 

[mike123abc]

http://www.smoothwall.org/

It is open source firewall software for major routing functions.

 

[Kraven]

Just picked up 2 Dell Optimax 780 for 50$ from work...looking forward to hours of testing

 

[. Raine]

I've never turned a desktop into a router, but I have used dd-wrt many times as replacement firmware in routers, the control and options it gives you compared to original firmware is nice. I'd be interested to see how you make out with this, how well it works.

If it's anything like using dd-wrt to replace crappy firmware in crappy consumer grade routers, it probably will be worth doing. I imagine that with a PC, probably you may even have more freedom and control to do things not easily done in normal consumer grade routers.

 

[Kraven]

The Network card is scheduled for delivery today..

I've never turned a desktop into a router, but I have used dd-wrt many times as replacement firmware in routers, the control and options it gives you compared to original firmware is nice. I'd be interested to see how you make out with this, how well it works.

Once I install the new network card am set to go...Install the DD-WRT software on a formatted drive, boot up and configure. The entire set-up shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes.

 

[StevenD]

The Network card is scheduled for delivery today..

Once I install the new network card am set to go...Install the DD-WRT software on a formatted drive, boot up and configure. The entire set-up shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes.

Youre going to run DD-WRT on a desktop PC? You can, but there is certainly better firewall software out there if thats what you wish to do.

 

[Kraven]

I need more processing power

 

[Magic Static]

DDRT was supposedly the way to go but I ran Tomato on my router.