Mac as a firewall?

[ChrisH3677]

We have a linux firewall at work. It is managed by an external contractor which annoys me sometimes coz i reckon if they'd just tell us how, we could do some of the admin on it and save some dollars.

So, I am considering replacing it, among other things, with a Mac.

Logic tells me with its unix base, a Mac should make just as good a firewall (no hang on, better :) coz it will be easier to administer!).

Do I use the built in firewall? Or do I need some other specialist app for this type of firewall?

Will any new or old Mac do? (Altho it would require 2 LAN cards so would have to be some sort of desktop model)

thanks

[marano]

You may want to try smoothwall before you give up on Linux all together it's free and makes a pretty good firewall - http://www.smoothwall.org/

[zellin]

But if you do want to use the Mac as a firewall, the firewall options are in System Preferences -> Sharing.

[ChrisH3677]

thanks zellin. i had a look but i think i need something more powerful, including things like port redirection, vpn, etc