Network in knots? Untangle it!Here’s what you’ll need, step-by-step, to get started with Untangle.
Step 1: Decide on a Platform
Buy an Appliance…
Sound easy? It is. Our appliances are the easiest way to get Untangle in your network. They come pre-loaded with either Standard or Premium Package, so you can simply plug them in and set them to work.
Go to Appliances >Or Run Untangle on Your Own Hardware.
You may be able to run Untangle on hardware you already have, or you can source hardware specifically for this purpose.
- The Untangle Server requires a dedicated PC installed at the gateway to your network.
- Your hardware does not need an operating system – the Untangle Server installs its own operating system.
- The Untangle Server software completely erases any content or data that may exist on your PC hard drive.
| Resource | Processor | Memory | Hard Drive | NICs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Intel/AMD-compatible Processor (800+ Mhz) | 512 MB | 20 GB | 2 | |
| 1-50 Users | Pentium 4 equivalent or greater | 1 GB | 80 GB | 2 or more | |
| 51-150 Users | Dual Core | 2 GB | 80 GB | 2 or more | |
| 151-500 Users | 2 or more Cores | 2 or more GB | 80 GB | 2 or more | |
| 501-1500 Users | 4 Cores | 4 GB | 80 GB | 2 or more | 64-bit |
| 1501-5000 Users | 4 or more Cores | 4 or more GB | 80 GB | 2 or more | 64-bit |
Please Note:
- Minimum is minimum requirements for installation. Depending on network traffic and apps installed your requirements may differ.
- Recommendations are based on number of users but your requirements may vary with network traffic.
- VIA and Intel Atom CPUs have high clock rates, but sometimes do not have sufficient horsepower.
If you’re ready to get started now,
you can download the Untangle server, then add a package or individual paid or free apps.
Download Untangle >Step 2: Choose Your Apps
The best way to experience the full power of Untangle is to select the Premium Package, which contains all of our apps in a single bundle. You can turn apps on or off from the virtual rack as you need them – providing you unprecedented flexibility. We also offer our applications as individual subscriptions; you can always upgrade to Premium Package later.
More about Packages >Step 3: Deploy In Your Network
Finally, you’ll need to decide how you want to run Untangle in your network. You can run Untangle as a router, leveraging our powerful network tools, or as a transparent bridge by dropping it seamlessly behind existing routers.
Untangle is an in-line device, meaning only traffic that flows through it will be filtered. There are two modes available with Untangle: Router mode and Bridge mode.
Router Mode
In Router mode, Untangle will be the edge device on your network and serve as a router and firewall. In this case, you’ll need to set up your External and Internal interfaces correctly for traffic to flow, which should have been done while installing.
Bridge Mode
In Bridge mode, Untangle is set between your existing firewall and main switch. When in Bridge mode Untangle is transparent, meaning you won’t need to change the default gateway of the computers on your network or the routes on your firewall – just put the Untangle between your firewall and main switch and… that’s it! You’ll need to give Untangle’s External interface an IP in the subnet of the firewall, set the Internal interface to bridge and bridge it to External.
Please Note:
- If you’re having connectivity issues, you may want to try a crossover cable between Untangle and the upstream device – this is usually not necessary with modern equipment, but it’s something to try if the settings look good but it’s just not working. If you don’t have a crossover cable handy, try putting a switch between Untangle and the upstream device.
- If you want to install Untangle in a VM, we recommend reading this guide.
- If you’re in Router mode and have a PPPoE WAN connection, contact your ISP and see if the modem can do the authentication and pass the IPs to Untangle so you can set the External interface to Static - this is a much better situation than having Untangle do the PPPoE login, since some features (such as Multi-WAN) will not work with interfaces set to PPPoE.
- If you’re in Bridge mode you most likely do not want to be double NATing, so make sure your Internal interface is set to Bridge and notStatic or DHCP.
- When setting up in Bridge mode, it’s easy to have the Untangle plugged in backwards. The quickest way to check is to go to a website that should be blocked and take a look at the block page – if you see a simple page with a white background and black text, your interfaces are backwards. If you see a grey background with an Untangle logo, you’re good to go. If it is backwards, you should be able to simply swap the External and Internal cables connected to the Untangle and verify you get the correct block page.
Need more info? See our Quick Start Guide, forums and documentation.
