[BBLISA] Home router/NAT/firewall linux software?

[Edward Ned Harvey (bblisa4)]

> From: bblisa [mailto:bblisa-bounces at bblisa.org] On Behalf Of Alex Aminoff
> 
> My project: build a home firewall/NAT box on which I can have a web app
> where my kids check off when they have done their chores in order to get
> screen time (aka internet access).
> 
> The web app I can write. I can build a firewall/NAT box by hand in
> iptables, but do I have to?

Don't build a firewall yourself.  I've seen a zillion poorly implemented homegrown firewalls where some IT person said, "Well that's just NAT and iptables.  I can do that."  And don't run them on the same machine (unless you're talking about two separate VM's inside a common host.)

I would recommend pfsense for the firewall.  It's a derivative of monowall.  Much more powerful, manageable, featureful, etc.  I simply love it for home and small business (<5 users).