D-Link DFL-700 manual Features and Benefits, Introduction to Firewalls, Web Management

Introduction

The DFL-700 provides three 10/100M Ethernet network interface ports, which are (1) Internal/LAN, (1) External/WAN, and (1) DMZ port. It also provides easily operated software WebUI that allows users to set system parameters or monitor network activities using a web browser.

Features and Benefits

zFirewall Security

zVPN Server/Client Supported

zContent Filtering

zBandwidth Management

DFL-700 features an extensive Traffic Shaper for bandwidth management.

zWeb Management

Configurable through any networked computer’s web browser using Netscape or Internet Explorer.

zAccess Control supported

Allows you to assign different access rights for different users. Like Admin or Read-Only User.

Introduction to Firewalls

A firewall is a device that sits between your computer and the Internet that prevents unauthorized access to or from your network. A firewall can be a computer using firewall software or a special piece of hardware built specifically to act as a firewall. In most circumstances, a firewall is used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks or corporate LAN’s and Intranets.

A firewall watches all of the information moving to and from your network and analyzes each piece of data. Each piece of data is checked against a set of criteria that the administrator configures. If any data does not meet the criteria, that data is blocked and discarded. If the data meets the criteria, the data is passed through. This method is called packet filtering.

A firewall can also run specific security functions based on the type of application or type of port that is being used. For example, a firewall can be configured to work with an FTP or Telnet server. Or a firewall can be configured to work with specific UDP or TCP ports to allow certain applications or games to work properly over the Internet.