                    SafeFire Links version 1.1
                         LAN support
                         READ ME file
                   (c) Link Guard Solutions Ltd.
                      http://www.lgs.kiev.ua

                        Introduction
    Along with PPP, SafeFire Links inludes LAN support that can
perform similar functions to SafeFire Firewall.

    To use this support, sflinks.cfg was provided as example.
You can use it either from command line (with "sfcon -Csflinks.cfg")
or from GUI.

                        Installation

    a) For SafeFire Firewall users.
    First of all you need to transfer your settings to sflinks.cfg.

    Also SafeFire Links has updated set of drivers that can perform in
"fast" mode. But in regular mode they are compatible to SafeFire Firewall
drivers. This means that you have next options:
    1)Leave you old drivers. Simply start SafeFire Links instead of sfire.exe
    2)Install new drivers by simply copying them over old ones.

    In both cases you can use either SafeFire Links or SafeFire Firewall.
    You can switch between products without reboot by simpy stopping one
    and starting another. Of course, usage of SafeFire Firewall with new
    drivers will result in drivers working in regular mode.

Note: You must perform driver upgrade over one of the last versions of
SafeFire Firewall. Older versions (that are using single driver) has
incompatible driver model.

    b) New users.

    1)Read documentation section "PPP over Ethernet Configuration Guide"
    2)Perform all steps up to (and including) 7th.
    3)Now Select Network Adapters -> Add.
    4)Specify same D:\SFLINKS\NDIS path you've specified at step 5
    5)Add new "SafeFire Firewall MAC Driver" network adapter
    6)Add IBM TCP/IP as driver under "SafeFire Firewall MAC Driver"
      network adapter
    7)Check TCP/IP logical number assigned (you can set it using
    "Change number" button). This is number of the lan interface
    you must configure in TCP/IP setting notebook.
    8)Perform last (8 and futher) steps of the "PPP over Ethernet Configuration
    Guide".
    9)Be sure to restart you computer.

Note: SafeFire Links provides advanced security mechanizm. This means that it does
not allow any packets to go through until SafeFire Links is started. This means
that you must start SafeFire Links as soon as possible, especially in DHCP environment.


                        Fast Drivers.

SafeFire Links includes new driver set that has "fast" mode. This mode allows to use
SafeFire Links in 100Mbit environment and small packets situation. The drivers will
try to set CPU usage to no more then 70%. This means that even if you already has
(with new drivers) 70% CPU load, adding more  network load may not result in higher
CPU load (because drivers does not try to minimize CPU load, simply to make it lover
then 70%). "fast" mode can process packets 10 times faster then "regular" mode.
Please note that "CPU load" meant is _overall_ CPU load. This means that if you will
start another time-consuming task, drivers will still try to set CPU load to ~70%.

To use "fast" mode next requrements must be met:
1)You must use SafeFire Links 1.1. SafeFire Firewall does not support "fast" mode .
2)To use "fast" mode after evaluation period, you must purchase "SafeFire Add pack".
3)You must use new drivers. Drivers from SafeFire Firewall do not have "fast" mode.

Note: If it is possible, fast mode is selected automatically. If fast mode is not
available, regular mode is used.

