Are there any modem-routers which have in-built proxy servers ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

shirish

Forerunner
Hi all,
A little history first. Years ago, esp. in most cyber-cafes you had the machine where the shopkeeper sits and he uses/used to call it a proxy server. A proxy server is nothing but a server to all the devices inside the network while to the internet it is a single client (a single machine).

Now this server needed to have two NIC's one to have a certain identity (a static identity/IP ) to the internal network and a dynamic identity (Dynamic identity/IP) to the world outside. You could have multiple servers on the same machine but for this a whole machine is/was used.

I have not really kept up with the various SOHO routers that keep sprouting up every once a while. The only thing I'm sure is the network chips and whatever memory they had, that would have doubled or quadrapled. I do know that many of them are based on various versions of the MIPS arch.

The network setup is a fairly old-school one, four-five computers are there, we have network cable and are stuck on whether to use a computer as a proxy server for the net or some other option is out there which would make the 5th system as a client too.

I do know and realize that even though it's a server, it could serve as a client. Also servers by their very definition are supposed to be beast which is/are up 24x7 . If today's SOHO or slightly expensive modem-routers-switches have this capability, then that much headache is less as well as less electricity.

If anybody knows of anything like this, please lemme know.

Update: Wasn't DHCP the answer to this or a proxy server is still necessary, my networking knowledge is a bit rusty atm ?
 
Last edited:
Yup, what you are looking at is NAT.

EDIT : After re-reading the requirments, a basic WiFi router is more than enough. However, you would need a switch OR a USB WiFi adapter since routers usually have 4 LAN ports only - so four wired connections only.

I had assumed it was for school OR some other purpose which would need web filtering.
 
Last edited:
There is another crux in the thing. Where I am right now, there is no wired ADSL connection which means using a USB 3G dongle/modem which is good for lappies but dunno how to use it in the network.

I have been trying (in vain) to get/see a device (probably a router) which has support for both 3G USB modems as well as lowly ethernet. The only ones I have been able to get which are 3G are one with wireless which simply doesn't work. Does such a device/s exist ? If yes, please link to them. If not how should I go about it ?

One option is to buy the one of the many USB-modem+wireless modems and have each desktop get a wireless adaptor. That is costly. Also most of the systems are Intel P4 era systems or slightly better.

Any ideas would be welcome.
 
The problem with those devices you shared, they all seem to have only one LAN port. I didn't see any of them having 3-4 ports. I would probably need to have a router (with DHCP turned on in it) in-between the systems and take one cable from the router to one of these devices. That seems to be the only logical way.
 
^ Yes thats correct
3g dongle -> 3g router -> 4/8-port switch/router

Edit: The tp-link 3220/3420 3g router has 4 ports.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: shirish
Some have ethernet ports, but with the mr3020 you would just connect to a hub and hook up your computers there.

I think its important that the dongle part be flexible so you can locate it where you get the best 3g signal. Which may not be in the same room as your computers are located. cat5 allows a 100m run between repeaters.

If it is then get the model that has the 4 ethernet ports behind. just ensure your dongle will be compatible by checking the compatibility list. What i don't like about these models is that they are just for 3g, there is a adsl.cable plus usb model wich is more useful. The problem is that it has limited 3g dongle support (!) (docomo or MTS only)
 
Last edited:
blr_p said:
I think its important that the dongle part be flexible so you can locate it where you get the best 3g signal. Which may not be in the same room as your computers are located. cat5 allows a 100m run between repeaters.
Click to expand...
Good point. I second this.

If it is then get the model that has the 4 ethernet ports behind. just ensure your dongle will be compatible by checking the compatibility list. What i don't like about these models is that they are just for 3g, there is a adsl.cable plus usb model wich is more useful. The problem is that it has limited 3g dongle support (!) (docomo or MTS only)
Click to expand...
Which model? All the models have one ethernet port which can be connected to an ADSL modem, but the ones with a single ethernet port can then share the internet only via wi-fi. In that case, would be better to just connect the ADSL modem directly to your 4-port router/switch unless configuring some sort of backup system.
 
Last edited:
Crazy_Eddy said:
Good point. I second this.
Click to expand...
greenhorn was the inspiration :)

Crazy_Eddy said:
Which model? All the models have one ethernet port which can be connected to an ADSL modem, but the ones with a single ethernet port can then share the internet only via wi-fi. In that case, would be better to just connect the ADSL modem directly to your 4-port router/switch unless configuring some sort of backup system.
Click to expand...
W8968

3G compatibility

..not so great compared with the more specialised 3g models.

Would have completed the trifecta of adsl/cable & 3G.
 
@Crazy_Eddy thank you for the suggestion. Looking at both TL-MR3220 as well as TL-MR3420 and between the two the only external diff. seems to be single and dual-antennae. I must have been blind not to spot those in the list which you have linked. This actually makes it easier and nicer.

What is interesting though is the "* 4G LTE Modems Compatibility apply to TL-MR3420 Version 2.0 ONLY." bit part which means upgrading the firmware a year or two down the line once 4G actually becomes affordable.

The 3G/4G compatibility chart is a bit worrying though. Wordings such as "(V1 Only)" which has been used time and again in both TL-MR3420 as well as TL-MR3220 for 3G/4G compatibility don't tell me anything about what maximum speeds they will connect at. (I'm talking best conditions in the sense that there is no interference and 0 number of people who are connected to whoever their wireless broadband is.)

If anybody has any idea of the speeds at V1 versions, would be highly obliged. I have no idea what current versions are 3G dongles are at so that would also be of help if any example can be shared.
 
how long will you be stuck on 3g for internet ? When do you expect to get something wired.

The problem with 3g is its susceptible to congestion. peak times (whenever that happens to be in your area) speeds are going to be slower.

Depending how far you are from a tower, how busy it is, rates can fluctuate.
 
@blr_p I am on an ADSL BSNL connection. This is for a friend and well, he's clueless. I am trying to set this up for him and in the process learn a thing or two as well. This way we both benefit.
 
ok, so same question applies to your friend then.

Point is the better 3G/4G router models are for people that will be on mobile internet for the forseeable future. Can't use them with adsl or cable.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom