No Dedicated Server for Home Premium???

[stanski1]

I must say I am VERY disappointed that I cannot purchase a Home Premium subscription to run on a dedicated server. I have deployed Untangle dedicated server in my home because I despise Windows and wouldn't trust it to secure an outhouse.

When I originally contacted Untangle sales, they told me that I could get the Home Premium license with the dedicated server. Now that I have everything setup, with eSoft webfilter and Kaspersky antivirus, now they tell me that the Home packages are only for Widows based versions.

Seems stupid and VERY disappointing. Especially with the obviously not very knowledgeable sales staff.

[dbunyard]

I don't work for Untangle, but I believe the saying goes something like "You can please all the people some of the time, some of the people all the time, but you can never please all the people all the time" I'm sure I butchered that.... I suspect that the aim of the home version is for home users, those without much experience when it comes to IT. It's aimed for those with the little blue Linksys routers who understand very little of what's going on, not for those of us that actually know what we are doing. Me, I have eSoft, Kaspersky, and Policy Manager installed here on my home dedicated server (in addition to the free apps) here at home. Is it cheap? No. Is it worth it? Most certainly!!! To me, a nearly unbeatable combo is my Endian firewall, Untangle in bridge mode, and OpenDNS for my DNS. The level of protection offered is second to none, but in return I do pay for it. I pay for my premium OpenDNS account and I pay for the apps mentioned. Software development takes time and money, and can never truly be free. Sure, some people have it as a hobby to develop free software but usually these projects go unmaintained for years at a time, something you certainly don't want for an IPS device. You can do everything that UT does, and MUCH more if you know Linux, but UT has given a way for people who aren't comfortable with the Linux command line to run a safe and effective IPS solution.

And as it turns out, I looked at the package you mention, the one that runs on top of Windows but didn't want to go that route. The UT staff was VERY helpful and directed my exactly where I needed to go. As you mentioned, I wouldn't trust Windows to wipe my butt, which is why I choose to run a dedicated server, and pay a bit more.

Anyways, just my

[Louisd]

I must say that I agree to a point - I would never use stupid to describe Untangle, and as a pragmatic, I know that Windows is here to stay, like it or not. But this post is not about religion, so I will not dwell on this topic.

I am very disappointed that I cannot buy a home premium package for my home on a dedicated server. I am also very disappointed that sales staff made a promise to get back to me with information * months ago * and never did ( at least, not so far). Usually, I don't complain. I just walk away and tell everyone about my experience, so they stay away and don't experience the same. Not this time. I think too much of Untangle.

I understand that the dedicated server market is most likely the small business, and I understand that the home market brings its lot of "cup holder"-type support issues and I understand that the home market is filled with Windows-centric, technically uneducated people. Still, there are some of us more capable home users that would welcome a home premium package for dedicated servers.

My 2 cents.

LD

[proactivens]

Actually, Untangle for windows is going to be phased out from what I understand.

[dmorris]

Yes, untangle for windows and the home subscriptions are going away for several reasons.

One of them is to avoid confusion like this.

[sky-knight]

All this simply reinforces the fact that IMHO, Untangle for Windows is waste. It's a product without a market... no place to call home. Add to it that re-router tech runs off arp spoofing which is getting harder and harder to pull off with modern routers and I think it deserve a place on the shelf right next to an iPad...

I have however used that technology for product demos very effectively. And originally that was the way it was sold to me.

I'm sorry you guys felt misrepresented. I've never pulled any punches about this product. And I can assure you had you contacted me about this thing I never would have pointed you in that direction.

I can tell you that those subscriptions could be applied to some other projects Untangle has under wraps right now.

As for the Windows vs Linux argument. It's moot here... UT4W uses a Debian VM running inside VirtualBox to do its job. It is a logical bridge installation, and never a router. So home network security is still the primary responsibility of your NAT device, and then augmented by an Untangle bridge you've inserted via the UT4W installation.

That said, an open source install on dedicated hardware surely runs better, and would be easier for most hobbyists to wrap their brains around. Finally, if you're going to use this software from scratch. The savings on the Home licensing is swallowed up in the cost of the windows license for the machine. So you aren't saving any money either.

What's the point?

Ok, so I posted this and then read the two posts above. So now, a year and a half after the fact. The Untangle4Windows product is dead?

I promised I would be nice... So I'm going to shut up now.

[Louisd]

DMorris: I am not confused. I was looking for the same kind of package as the home premium package, at a comparable price point, also for home use, but without the re-router technology that I never liked to start with. I was disappointed that I could not get that kind of package. I was also disappointed that sales staff did not deliver on a promise.

No confusion. Just disappointment. And a customer willing to pay for a package that is not available. And a company possibly missing out in what seems to me like a potential revenue stream. Of course, the idea of a home premium dedicated server package begs the question whether small businesses would pay their comparable package at a much higher price point ( which gives me a hint why the package is not available for home users on a dedicated server)

LD

[dmorris]

wasn't talking about your confusion - I was talking about the OP's effort to install the dedicated server thinking the home subscription was available at that price point for it.
In general it adds a lot of confusion to the whole "what do I need to run?" and "what is untangle?" and hasn't added as much value as we hoped.

[stanski1]

wasn't talking about your confusion - I was talking about the OP's effort to install the dedicated server thinking the home subscription was available at that price point for it.
In general it adds a lot of confusion to the whole "what do I need to run?" and "what is untangle?" and hasn't added as much value as we hoped.

Well, I am not trying to start any trouble here and please don't get me wrong...

Untangle is great, but there wouldn't have been any confusion if the sales staff hadn't sent me down that path.

I personally do not understand what the problem is with licensing the dedicated version to the home user. Is it not the same plugins???

[sky-knight]

It's exactly what you said earlier... there is nothing to separate the business user from the home user on the dedicated side.

And Untangle's anti-DRM stance prevents other controls.