_Wingate tips_

[Mendoza]

So, after reading many topics and replies on this forum I thought I might give my support by solving some problems:

Wingate stops,hangs or drops dead:
* Before installing Wingate, or any other software, run for 1 or 2 days a CPU instensive app like CPU Burn to test the stability of your machine.
* Make a clean install of the operating system (eg. Win2k server) with all the updates from M$.
* Cut all the unnecesary soft, and I mean ALL but the basic.
* Stop all unnecesary services.
* Check to see if you have the M$ DHCP,DNS servers installed.Disable them if they are and use the ones in Wingate ONLY.
* Make sure you have an NTFS FS
* Do not install any extra firewall or Antivirus.(In my Xperience with Wingate, an Antivirus (like Kaspersky) is the cause of most problems with Wingate.
* Make sure you have all the ports, besides the one that you REALY need, closed on the external interface.
* Do not disable, yet, any user if that user has activity.Doing this will result in Wingate and, or Windows "playing dead" :))
* Do not block an IP or server address that has an active connection.
Doing this will result in Wingate and, or Windows "playing dead" :))
* Create for each user an account in windows and then assume user by IP.This will give internet only to legitimate users
* Disable all services in WIngate, but DNS, NAT, Remote Control, a proxy server and if dynamic IP's are used DHCP server.
* Do not install LOG server if you do not encounter errors.This is a waste of space.
* Make sure you do not bind your internal interface to an "outside" service
* Enforce policies by user and assumption
* Disable "suport for multiple subnets"
* Disable "allow users to ping this machine from the internet"
* If Wingate does not load and remains "yellow", wait for the time out msg and then stop it.Go to your instalations folder and delete all history.* files.The start WInagte.It should work.This happend usualy if the server is not shut down corectly(clean shutdown)
* Disable Remote Registry, Alerter, uPNP, messenger services in Windows
* Do not install the IIS or ftp server from M$
* Put the server on an UPS
* Make sure your server has "grounding"
* Use good NIC's, like 3COM.Realtek also will do
* Do not scan your server with low latency port scanners (like 1 ms).This will result in Wingate runnig out of mem)
* Make sure your passwords for Winagte and Windows are long enough and strong enough ( not under 8 chars )
* In DNS/WINS tab specify your 1 and 2 DNS
* On your private interface do not put any gateway or DNS.Leave blank
* Double check your public IP settings
* Disable on your public IP all but TCP/IP and also disable netBIOS broadcasts (from My Network Places)
* Do not allow anyone accept you to manage the server
* For reasonable performance, you will need: 1 Ghz or above CPU, 128 MB RAM or above, 20 GB HDD or above a good power suply and good cooler.And of course, an ATI Radeon 9800 PRO to view without tearing effects your firewall section.
* After full install of op sys and Co. make a back up image with Ghost or similar for fast restore.
* Read twice the help that comes with the program.It Xplains most of what you need 2 know.


That would be enough to get you started.