NetMAX Firewall 2.0

For beginning Linux users, this firewall lets you make use of Linux ASAP. Because it has the RedHat distribution, there are plenty of useful resources to draw from. As you learn more by digging into the console or xwindows (bypassing the Web interface), you'll find the full powered, multy-usage Linux OS. In other words, this product lets you build, without it becoming obsolete too soon. Having some experience with firewalls on NT, I found the Netmax stuff wasn't too difficult to conquer. Customer support has been good so-far. I'm itching to try the Webserver too! Good product for a Linux newbie. Only drawback: a couple bugs which should not be.

Netmax Firewall is fine if you are a new network administrator (allowing it to protect you from your own worst enemy: yourself), or if your boss feels better with something in a box that says "Firewall" on it. And it's definitely way too much for home users who don't have a dedicated firewall server.

There's a nice-looking but sometimes confusing web interface that lets you configure NAT (Network Address Translation) with one or more ethernet cards, and configure the firewall too. It can also let you monitor what your LAN users are doing, what websites they are visiting.

But Netmax's simplicity becomes its worst feature as you start to learn more about network administration. In the end, you find out that you could just as easily have used RedHat and ipchains and gained more versatility, and then ftp'd some network monitoring tools if you want to watch how your users are using your net connection.

In the end, Netmax becomes just a "more expensive than RedHat" RedHat distribution.