NETGEAR FVX538, FVX538NA Security Features, Autosensing Ethernet Connections with Auto Uplink, Extensive Protocol Support

ProSafe VPN Firewall 200 FVX538 Reference Manual
Introduction 1-3
v1.0, August 2006
•Keyword Filtering. With its URL keyword filtering feature, the FVX538 prevents
objectionable content from reaching your PCs. The firewall allows you to control access to
Internet content by screening for keywords within Web addresses. You can configure the
firewall to log and report attempts to access objectionable Internet sites.
Security Features
The VPN firewall is equipped with several features designed to maintain security, as described in
this section.
•PCs Hidden by NAT. NAT opens a temporary path to the Internet for requests originating
from the local network. Requests originating from outside the LAN are discarded, preventing
users outside the LAN from finding and directly accessing the PCs on the LA N.
•Port Forwarding with NAT. Although NAT prevents Internet locations from directly
accessing the PCs on the LAN, the firewall allows you to direct incoming traffic to specific
PCs based on the service port number of the incoming request. You can specify forwarding of
single ports or ranges of ports.
•DMZ port. Incoming traffic from the Internet is no rmally discarded by the firewall unless the
traffic is a response to one of your local computers or a service for which you have configured
an inbound rule. Instead of discarding this traffic, you can have it forwarded to one computer
on your network.
Autosensing Ethernet Connections with Auto Uplink
With its internal 8-port 10/100 switch, the FVX538 can connect to either a 10 Mbps standard
Ethernet network or a 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network. Both the LAN and WAN interfaces are
autosensing and capable of full-duplex or half-duplex operation.
The firewall incorporates Auto UplinkTM technology. Each Ethernet port will automatically sense
whether the Ethernet cable plugged into the port should have a ‘normal’ connection such as to a
PC or an ‘uplink’ connection such as to a switch or hub. That port will then configure itself to the
correct configuration. This feature also eliminates the need to worry about crossover cables, as
Auto Uplink will accommodate either type of cable to make the right connection.
Extensive Protocol Support
The VPN firewall supp orts the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and
Routing Information Protocol (RIP). For further information about TCP/IP, refer
to “Internet Configuration Requirements” in Appendix C.”