UserGate is a gateway server solution providing extremely secure Internet connection sharing. This kind of solution is very efficient for setting up Internet access for small and medium size networks. UserGate is easily managed, does not require special qualifications and can be set up in minutes. UserGate 4.1 has many features to significantly optimize Internet traffic: web resource caching, web-filtering, ad banner blocking, and optional antivirus protection.

UserGate is not just an Internet connection and proxy server. It has a built-in firewall, new Authentication Client and many other features that provide extremely high security capabilities.

UserGate 4.1 includes support of VPN and ICMP protocols, which ensures the privacy and integrity of the information transmitted. It also enables users to check the accessibility of a server on the Internet and also to define packet routing.

One of the new features implemented in UserGate 4.1 is a new Authorization Client, which you can use to view your account status and the amount of sent/received traffic. Additionally, UserGate Administrator now includes a monitor that provides real-time tracking of network and processor loads. This version also includes an improved HTTP Authorization for separate traffic accounting for users working from a terminal server.

UserGate 4.1 has a new Cache Explorer module included as well as many major interface enhancements.

UserGate is a multifunction, stable and secure software solution that lets network administrators set up and easily manage their network users' Internet access. UserGate provides an extremely high level of security for Internet access and protects your network from various related threats.

Editor review:

When working in a LAN environment one of the fundamental aspects is to correctly distribute and manage the Internet connection, shared among various machines. This isn´t always a simple task, above all if there are many PCs connected. But at least you have programs like Usergate, which help you deal with it all comfortably.

Usergate lets you, for example, connect your LAN to the Internet without using routers, as it automatically manages your network traffic, administers access permissions for each network user to the Internet, protects all the machines via a firewall, and much more. In summary, Usergate gives you everything needed to securely and reliably share your Internet connection in a LAN environment.

Usergate is a software solution, advanced and multifunctional, that can be used to connect your LAN to the Internet. It is an effective repository of functions and options to administer your connections to the Internet at the same time as giving you maximum security and protection. It economizes the traffic consumption of your network via optimized resource management, filters content and much more. Also, Usergate offers you optional support for antivirus and antispyware, so that you can check all the entry traffic (emails, websites, FTP, etc) and get rid of anything suspicious.

Some key features of "UserGate":

• Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
• Network Address Translation (NAT) support ? an advanced technology for connecting multiple computers to the Internet using one IP address.
• Web caching ? allows the storing of files from the Internet in a cache, which is available for all users. Caching reduces Internet connection loads and saves money in bandwidth usage.
• Internet Traffic Analysis
• Accurate Traffic Calculation for each user (including traffic through servers using SMTP authorization). Calculating and viewing user Internet statistics per day and/or per site for any time interval. User Internet statistics for the current month can be viewed through any HTTP connection.
• The built-in Billing System, which performs automatic calculations of Internet expenses for each user based on time and/or traffic volume can be set up for different rates for specific users or for groups of users, switchable rates depending on the time of day, day of the week or website address.
• Statistics Reporting System can automatically e-mail users their personal Internet statistics, and can bill for specified time periods.
• Report Generator has the capability of exporting stats to MS Excel.
• User-specific access management
• Various User Authorization Methods support include: by IP address, IP and MAC address, IP and MAC ticket, by username and password, by Windows authorization, and by Active Directory authorization.
• Upstream Proxy Connection support with an authorization option.
• Capability to import lists of users from Active Directory, which saves time on typing in hundreds of users. The program will do it for you.
• Administration, alerts and statistics
• Real-time Connection Monitoring allows the viewing of active user IP addresses, usernames, exact volume of sent and received traffic and lists of URLs visited;
• Traffic shaper can set limits on Internet connection speeds for each user.
• Scheduler provides a convenient running of the following tasks: launching external applications, automatic opening or closing of dial-up connections, e-mailing statistics to users, etc.
  Flexible set of rules for managing network activities of a single user or a group of users, including:
• Restrictions on operating times, amount of incoming/outgoing traffic per day and/or month or the amount of time spent online per day and/or month;.
• Internet content filtering restricting user access to resources not related to work.
• Individual restrictions for connection speeds and traffic volumes. If a user's traffic limit is exceeded, his/her Internet access will be automatically closed.
• Lists of forbidden or allowed domain names, IP addresses, parts of URLs, etc.
• Range of IP addresses allowed to be accessed.
• Hourly Schedules of user Internet access.
• Highly effective Banner Ad Filter.
• Remote Administration allows network administrators to work remotely and to be more mobile;
• Internet Security
• Built-In Firewall protects your local area network from hacker attacks and other undesirable intrusions from the Internet.
• Port mapping ties a port of a local Ethernet interface to a specific port of the remote host. Port mapping is used for bank-client applications, games and other software that require data exchange with a specified IP address.
• Antivirus Gateway Protection
• Gateway antivirus. You can use Panda Antivirus or Kaspersky, both embedded into Usergate or use any other antivirus software. UserGate checks SMTP and POP3 protocols (e-mail), HTTP (internet) and FTP.