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| Thread ID: 106232 | 2010-01-01 00:07:00 | Software firewall vs Router firewall. | Colpol (444) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 844647 | 2010-01-01 00:07:00 | Hi Guys. In a previous thread God Speedy said If youre going through a router with a firewall, I wouldnt bother with installing a software firewall Speedy can you please elaborate on this. What will stop a naughty program from starting or playing silly buggers. |
Colpol (444) | ||
| 844648 | 2010-01-01 01:02:00 | Well a router should stop incoming hits if its got a firewall. It depends on how paranoid you are, what you actually do on the net, whether you install a software firewall. If youre into dodgy sites, file sharing programs, pirated software. Then you SHOULD install a software firewall. Because most will tell you WHAT files are running / trying to connect to whatever. Then you have an option of blocking it. In case its something like a trojan. Windows firewall (depending on the OS) will block incoming but not outgoing. I used to use a firewall when I was on dial up, but dont now since I've changed to broadband (since Oct 06). I havent bothered with installing any software firewall.. The modem has a firewall. And I'm using Vista / Win 7's firewall. Thats good enough for me |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 844649 | 2010-01-01 01:22:00 | Thank you Speedy. Food for thought. |
Colpol (444) | ||
| 844650 | 2010-01-02 00:12:00 | The firewall built into the router will stop some incoming attacks but not all. You should really have a software firewall anyway The other thing to remember is that you don't just have to worry about things coming in, it's things going out that can also be a problem. Back when I was stupid enough to use Norton AntiVirus and Firewall, I got a virus (no surprises there, I had NAV) I didn't know it was even there until it decided to connect to its master and send back all the product keys for everything I had installed. When Norton firewall told me that some strange executable from System32 folder I had never heard of before was trying to access the internet, I became immediately suspicious. I blocked the program and then later found out what it was. If I had not had a software firewall my Windows XP key and serial keys for my games would have all been stolen. Sometimes, there are also programs which like to send "usage statistics" etc etc back home as well. You may not want this to happen. A software firewall provides an excellent way to stop this, if there is no option to turn it off in the program. |
Agent_24 (57) | ||
| 844651 | 2010-01-02 01:02:00 | If youre into dodgy sites, file sharing programs, pirated software . Then you SHOULD install a software firewall . Because most will tell you WHAT files are running / trying to connect to whatever . Then you have an option of blocking it . Which I run without going to dodgy sites, or using P2P or pirating . Because I like to control what goes to the net and what doesn't . Which is mostly masses of unnecessary windows components . Not to mention its an excellent way to discover nosey phone home crap bundled in legit software . |
pctek (84) | ||
| 844652 | 2010-01-02 01:16:00 | Because I like to control what goes to the net and what doesn't . Which is mostly masses of unnecessary windows components . Not to mention its an excellent way to discover nosey phone home crap bundled in legit software . Exactly . |
Agent_24 (57) | ||
| 844653 | 2010-01-02 09:28:00 | The firewall built into the router will stop some incoming attacks but not all . Such as? |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 844654 | 2010-01-02 09:52:00 | When you open a port in your router, it does not know what you are using that port for, and will allow anything for that port through. However the software firewall can be configured to only allow data on that port which is destined for a specific application. |
Agent_24 (57) | ||
| 844655 | 2010-01-02 11:52:00 | True ... but if you're port-forwarding an application, such as for RDP, or for hosting a game for example, then it's either for a service you want remotely accessible at all times, or it's for an application that's only relevant when it's started. With a game for example, if you close the application, what's going to happen when you try and "come in" on that port? Nothing ....? | Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 844656 | 2010-01-02 12:09:00 | True ... but if you're port-forwarding an application, such as for RDP, or for hosting a game for example, then it's either for a service you want remotely accessible at all times, or it's for an application that's only relevant when it's started. With a game for example, if you close the application, what's going to happen when you try and "come in" on that port? Nothing ....? Chill, yes but what of the piggy back trojan/malware/theif that snuck in in your game and sat in you system for some time first. then et's one random day on your normal channel. if you dont have some sort of paranoid out gatekeeper/local machine out firewall, it will send all it wants and you will not Know?? |
angry (15305) | ||
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