By: Mark Dodel - madodel@ptd.net
This is not a proxy server, but an OS/2 implementation of NAT (Network Address
Translation), which provides transparent access for clients on an internal TCP/IP
network (not just OS/2 clients, but any client running a TCP/IP stack). this means
you don't have to configure the applications on the clients to use a proxy. Previously
I had run IGate, which provides very good proxy support, but entails a great deal
of configuration of the apps on the client as well as the proxy server itself if
you want more then just basic HTTP and FTP access.
Should you encounter a problem after rebooting, you can boot to a command prompt
and run an uninstall.cmd to back out the changes. I encountered no problem at all
doing the install.
You have to make sure that the internal LAN clients are configured to access
the server running the InJoy Gateway as the default router (Gateway), IPGATE has
to be set to ON, and there must be a properly configured name server entry. Other
then that you don't have to re-configure any apps. in my case since I was using
a proxy server, I had to un-configure the changes required to use apps like
Communicator, EMTEC FTP client and MR/2 ICE with a proxy. The documentation goes
into a couple of methods of configuring an internal TCP/IP network; one with 1 LAN
adapter and the other with 2 LAN adapters on the Gateway machine.
The InJoy Gateway intercepts all ip traffic sent to/from the internal clients,
and as long as the originating ip address is the same as that in the configuration
file, the ip addresses are "masqueraded" and passed to the network connection
attached to the internet. As long as you have an entry in the Gateway config file,
this will block outside access to your internal clients from any source other then
the specified ip addresses. Since there is as yet no GUI or accounting/reporting
modules, any attempts to access your internal network from other then your defined
IP addresses displays in the Gateway VIO window.
In the FAQ at the Fx InJoy Firewall site, there is a message saying that it has
only been tested with about 8 different network cards. I happen to have one of the
cards on the list. i'm not sure what if any problems other network cards may create,
so if you don't have a NIC yet, you may want to check the list. I am very pleased
with my Kingston KNE40-BT card, as well as the several other Kingston NIC's I have
used. They all have OS/2 drivers included on the install disk as well as a DOS configuration
program that runs under OS/2. since this is a shareware product, if you already
have a NIC then try it. If you have problems then contact Fx. They seem very interested
in supporting OS/2 users.
Currently the Gateway is the only released component of the InJoy Firewall. Other
planned modules include a GUI frontend, a firewall plugin, an accounting module,
and a filter plugin. Pricing for these additional components is not yet been listed,
but they are all shown as expected to be released in 1st quarter 1999.
If you are looking for a drop in solution to give access to your cable modem
or xDSL connection to the internet for your local LAN, then InJoy Gateway is a great
solution. If you want to do more fine tuning of what the clients can access then
you will want a more complicated solution like Maccasoft's Internet Gate proxy server
- http://www.maccasoft.com. Another advantage
to IGate is that it is free for a one client connection use. Having used both products,
I registered InJoy Gateway.
The InJoy Gateway is available in several licences based on number of users (clients
connected). The 2 client license is $20, 5 client - $40, 10 client - $70, 25 client
- $150, 50 client - $200, 100 client - $300, 500 client - $1400. According to the
web site the license is valid for all updates up to v2.00 or the end of the millenium
which ever comes first. You can register it at your favorite OS/2 shareware retailer
including BMTMicro - http://www.bmtmicro.com
and http://www.mensys.nl