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Date:	Sat, 6 Oct 2001 11:34:59 PDT
From:	"J. R. Fox" <jr_fox@pacbell.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: Firewall issues

Content Type: text/plain

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Ray wrote:

> Tech support at SMC was excellent. I talked to them before I bought the
> router and after when it wouldn't connect. The advised fix, which
> worked, was to reboot the modem, router and computer. To keep the
> system functioning, the advice seems to be never power down the modem
> and probably not the router.

I doubt this very much. When you are experiencing various 'Net connectivity problems, one of the first
diagnostic things you should do (assuming that you ever encounter any of the same problems I do, and I suspect
these are not uncommon) is to turn off the DSL or cable modem for up to 5 minutes. Then turn it back on. (My
DSL router can take up to 2 1/2 minutes to fully recycle to where it's ready for action again. Don't know if
this also applies to the cable variety.) This will usually give you some indication whether the problem resides
at your end, or is a problem in the network of your DSL provider. If your DSL provider happens to be Pac Bell,
there is an excellent probability it is the latter.

I have a fixed IP, so no DHCP issues should be relevant. However, some problems have been clearly attributable
to my Sonic Wall firewall device, and I mention these here in case they also apply to the SMC. (The SW is
apparently a much more elaborate hardware firewall, so that is not a lock.) There have been many firmware
revisions for my SW, and I have kept current, but none of them really resolved certain issues. This device has
a 4 mb. storage space onboard for its Log. Normally, when the activity Log -- which reports Port Scans,
rejected intrusion attempts or possible intrusion attempts, and other supposedly noteworthy events -- fills up,
the log is supposed to be emailed to a user designated address, and then purged to clear the memory space. Or
you can manually purge it at any time.

What was happening all too often was that the Log would quickly fill up and then just choke and die. I could
not even contact the device any more to access it (this is done via a web-browser interface), let alone command
it to Purge memory. Turning off the DSL router was insufficient: I had to turn off the firewall and disconnect
it's power source for 5 to 10 minutes. Tech. Support for the SW line no longer seems much interested in the
individual user, but is now geared towards large companies with volume purchases and support contracts. (Sound
familiar ?) Anyway, I finally figured out that there were certain defaults I could turn off in the device's
Setup, once I was able to get back in. It had been logging every incidence of dropped packets -- and these come
in at least 3 flavors, so they piled up fast, soon choking the log. From what I gathered, these dropped packets
are just routine burps and hiccups of connection to the 'Net, and seem to have zero value re identification of
any threat. That is to say, they are non-events and non-information. Once I turned these defaults OFF, this
problem went away. Now the Log looks like it may go 3 months or so before filling up, plenty of time to monitor
and Purge it before it becomes a problem.

The one conspicuous problem that remains is merely annoying. This system generally runs 24/7. Many mornings I
will exit the screen saver only to find that the Pac Bell Mail Server has lost my User ID overnight, so I have
to log in again to check the mail. Is there any good reason this is happening, or is it just more great service
from the Pac Bell ISP ?

Jordan

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