The Network SonicWall TuesdayGoodin network firewall is one of the most popular security devices on the market. It’s an easy to use, cost effective device that provides a high level of protection for your network. Whether you’re looking to protect your home, office, or small business, a Sonicwall can be a reliable solution. However, there are a few key settings to know when configuring your network firewall.
Configure Layer 2 Bridge Mode
If you have an existing Network SonicWall TuesdayGoodin, you may want to configure it in Layer 2 Bridge Mode. This mode allows you to pass all Ethernet traffic across the bridge while still allowing you to inspect the traffic.
The L2 Bridge mode is similar to the Transparent Mode that SonicOS supports, but with a couple of additional features. These features include the ability to pass and drop non-IPv4 traffic. You can also add custom routes or NAT policies.
Bridge-Pair
In the IPS Sniffer Mode, one of the interfaces in the Bridge-Pair will be use for intrusion detection. This is done by monitoring network traffic from a mirror port on a switch. Traffic that enters the X0 interface will be processe, and all other traffic will be pass.
Configure Port Shield
The PortShield enables you to assign multiple LAN ports into separate security contexts. This allows you to configure the logical security layers of your network, including DMZ protection, device monitoring and protection, and WAN protection. It also enables you to configure a single virtual interface with several logical ports.
To configure the PortShield gizmo, navigate to the NETWORK | System page of your SonicWALL UTM appliance. Next, select PortShield Groups. On the PortShield Groups page, you’ll see an outline of your ports, their properties and their capabilities.
Drop-Down Menu
You’ll find your PortShield gizmo displayed in a drop-down menu, but if you aren’t into fancy math, you can also select a PortShield interface by name. In addition to selecting an interface, you’ll need to configure it to the proper port type and speed.
Configure Transparent Mode
If you have a Network SonicWall TuesdayGoodin security appliance, it has the ability to bridge your WAN subnet onto its internal interface. This mode is called Transparent Mode and is a great way to set up a SonicWall in a network that has already been establish. But, you will need to make sure that you have valid IP addresses for all computers that will be connect to the Transparent Mode interface.
The easiest way to do this is to create an Address Object. An Address Object is an object that defines an entity once and allows you to reuse the same entity in multiple referential instances. You can then specify the address range that you want to use for the Address Object, which must be within an internal zone or a trusted zone.
Configure Security Services Directionality
The Network SonicWall TuesdayGoodin security services suite offers a multitude of features that range from basic firewall services to more advanced VPN and anti-malware protection. For the savvy administrator, however, the best way to optimize this complex set of tools is to understand how to make your network and appliances work together in a harmonious fashion. This guide will help you do just that.
Final Words:
The first step is to learn how to configure your firewall to support a VPN, as well as how to use SSL VPN to secure your network. If you’ve already made the leap to SonicOS Enhance, you can revert back to the default settings and get started with these essential security and performance tweaks.
