is this set up properly?

[tradertalk]

i have a small business with 15 pc's on our network, 10mb dsl download/1mb upload but it feels like there are 1000 people on it as everything is running slow, im wondering if the hardware isnt configured properly? perhaps backwards...

right now it looks like this.. server > switch > router > firewall

should it be server > router > switch

also not sure why there is a hardware firewall when there is already software firewall?

any ideas or perhaps tips to improve the network? right now it feels worse than dial up

[Sterling_Aug]

What kind of router and switch are they? Make/model numbers would be helpful. Many times a router is also a hardware firewall, so you may be duplicating efforts there. How many ports are on the router and how many ports are on the switch?

I would go:

dsl modem > server > router > switch and see how things work.

[t34b4g5]

right now it looks like this.. server > switch > router > firewall



Greetz.

If you already have a Hardware firewall then take the firewall away.

Either a hardware firewall or a normal firewall would be sufficient, you don't need 2.

Also what switch, and router do you have connected? Have those being setup and configured properly?

[tradertalk]

thanks guys

tomorrow when i go in ill post the details of everything but there is a software firewall so im going to remove the hardware firewall

also both the switch and the router each have 4 ports

[t34b4g5]

also both the switch and the router each have 4 ports

Greetz.

May i recommened that both the router and switch get upgraded with something with more ports.

There could be some bottleneck effects going on.

what are the names and models of the currect switch and router that is being used?

[Sterling_Aug]

tomorrow when i go in ill post the details of everything but there is a software firewall so im going to remove the hardware firewall

You may want to reconsider. A hardware firewall is ALWAYS BETTER than a software firewall. If you already have the hardware, then use it for more protection.

[cat6]

Router's Firewall is actually a by product of the NAT thus it acts as a Firewall only for uncalledd inbound traffic.

Router's Firewall is Not aware of Outbound traffic, and thus expose every computer to danger.

As a result each computer should have software Firewall regardless of the Router.

http://www.ezlan.net/firewall.html

.

[tradertalk]

switch
encore 8 port nway
enh908-nwy

router
broadxnet adsl gateway 8120

firewall
sonicwall tz170

[Ol'Tunzafun]

right now it looks like this.. server > switch > router > firewall

You have two hardware firewalls in that setup, one of which has a questionable function.
The Broadxent "router", (which is actually a combo modem/router) should be plugged in to the phone line. Since there is no DSL phoneline port on the Sonicwall firewall (which is actually a router), I can't picture how it presently fits between the Broadxent modem/router and the internet. Can you clear that up?
If I was handed that hardware for that situation, I would either discard the Sonicwall completely or set it between the switch and the Broadxent, which would be set to bridge mode, so that the Sonicwall could do the DHCP.

broadxent bridge mode
http://www.davesitjournal.com/wp-files/8120Bridge.pdf

sonicwall config
http://www.sonicwall.com/downloads/SonicWALL_TZ_170_Getting_Started_Guide.pdf

[tradertalk]

thanks for the info, will post more about the sonicwall when i see it on monday.

[tradertalk]

by the way, i was considering going wireless in the office. think its worth it to pick up a home wireless router? i figure that should be fine considering only about 3 ports are being used in total on the current router

[Ol'Tunzafun]

Yeah, why not. Wireless routers are a better buy than access points. They're cheaper and they do more. The D-Link DIR-655 is a great router, and most Linksys routers are good. A wireless router would replace the Sonicwall in your setup. Just set the Broadxent to bridge mode and configure your WAN settings in the new router.