Why We Recommend Instant Internet

IPX-to-IP Gateways
Why we recommend Instant Internet

There are many options for LAN administrators who wish to offer Internet access to their network users. We have selected to recommend Instant Internet after a careful review of the current products available in the market.

We feel the most important features for LAN-Internet access are:

Security,
Ease of setup & configuration, and
Reliability

The most secure method of connecting local area network users to a shared Internet connection is through an IPX-to-IP gateway. By utilizing the IPX (Internetwork Packet Exchange) protocol pioneered by Novell Inc., it's impossible for an external source to gain access to LAN workstations or file servers.

Internet access should be simple. Any LAN member should be able to install and configure the selected system. Internet access shouldn't require any special training or technical skill. The selected system should be totally self-contained. No other equipment or tools should be required to establish Internet access.

Businesses use the Internet to make money. If the link's not up, work must wait or be cancelled.

And, any solution that interacts with the file servers on a LAN (such as an NLM) puts the entire corporate data system at risk. The Internet connection should operate totally separate from any file, print, or data services that are critical to business functions.

Damar Group, Ltd. is committed to only recommending those products that we would use. Instant Internet connects the employees of our corporate headquarters and the students in our classrooms to the Internet. We chose it for very clear reasons, and we recommend it to you.

We've included here a comparison of the most popular IPX-to-IP gateways.

Hardware Software

Instant Internet Cisco IP-eXchange 1004 WebRamp IPX Gateway IWare Connect Nov*ix for Internet

Requires NetWare NLM No No No Yes Yes

Application-level gateway filters Yes No Yes Yes Yes

16-bit Winsock applications Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

32-bit Winsock applications Yes Yes Yes No No

Windows 3.x Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Windows 95 Yes Yes Yes Yes (16-bit) Yes (16-bit)

Windows NT Yes Yes Yes No No

Packet-filtering Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

SAP Support Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Built-In Connections
Ethernet Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A

Token-Ring Yes No No N/A N/A

28.8 Kb/s modem Yes No No No No

ISDN Yes Yes Yes No No

Routed Connection Yes No No No No

Fixed IP Addressing Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A

Dynamic IP Addressing Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A

Multilink PPP Support Yes Yes Yes N/A N/A

Access Control & Security

User-level Yes No No Yes Yes

Group-level Yes No No Yes Yes

IP address Yes No Yes No Yes

Port number Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Time Yes No No Yes No

Date Yes No No Yes No

Day Yes No No Yes No

PAP Yes Yes Yes Yes No

CHAP Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Management Tools

Windows-based tools Yes No Yes Yes Yes

SNMP Support Yes Yes No Yes No

Monitors Users Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Monitors Performance Statistics Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Can Assign Multiple IP Addresses Yes No No No Yes

You may contact sales@dgl.com directly or if you would like more information, complete the information request form.

Return to main Instant Internet information page.

updated November 5, 1996
http://dgl.com/docs/iicomp.html