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Bungleau · 11-25-2006, 11:26 PM

I'll disagree with you on a hardware firewall being better than a software firewall, Larry, and rendering a software firewall useless.

A hardware firewall is great at keeping stuff out that's not supposed to be coming in.

However, it doesn't do as well with stuff that's already in, trying to get out.

If you get a trojan or something like that, your hardware firewall will probably not worry about it too much, and will let it through.

Plus, if one computer on your network gets infected with something (say, a game imported on a flash drive... something that one of your kids will do in a couple of years...), the hardware firewall will not protect any other computers on the network. It only protects from the outside world.

Or, more likely, you'll let someone use a computer (a parent, in-law, or other relative) who isn't computer-savvy, and they'll open one of those bad emails that they get... *poof!* Your protection goes up in smoke.

*edit* to clarify, it's not a question of one or the other, but using both. They address different things, and both are needed IMHO.

I use both... hardware and software. My hardware is a Linksys router. My software is ZoneAlarm. So far, so good... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Getting back to JrKASperov's questions, I don't have any problems with sharing files over our network. I have had to tell ZA about my home network and say that it's allowed, but that's it. I do the same thing with the shared printers and server, too... they have fixed IP addresses. Frankly, you *should* be getting questioned on communication with another machine unless you've okayed it.

Hmmm... and doing that might just eliminate the in-network protection I talked about above, except that your software firewall should register permissions for individual executables. So it's got to be an allowed program communicating to an allowed IP address.

My standard batch of protection:

Spybot S&D
Ad-Aware
AVG Anti-virus
ZoneAlarm
HiJack This (for serious cleaning only)

[ 11-26-2006, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Bungleau ]

11-25-2006, 11:26 PM	#6
Bungleau 40th Level Warrior Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: Western Wilds of Michigan Posts: 11,752	I'll disagree with you on a hardware firewall being better than a software firewall, Larry, and rendering a software firewall useless. A hardware firewall is great at keeping stuff out that's not supposed to be coming in. However, it doesn't do as well with stuff that's already in, trying to get out. If you get a trojan or something like that, your hardware firewall will probably not worry about it too much, and will let it through. Plus, if one computer on your network gets infected with something (say, a game imported on a flash drive... something that one of your kids will do in a couple of years...), the hardware firewall will not protect any other computers on the network. It only protects from the outside world. Or, more likely, you'll let someone use a computer (a parent, in-law, or other relative) who isn't computer-savvy, and they'll open one of those bad emails that they get... poof! Your protection goes up in smoke. edit to clarify, it's not a question of one or the other, but using both. They address different things, and both are needed IMHO. I use both... hardware and software. My hardware is a Linksys router. My software is ZoneAlarm. So far, so good... [img]smile.gif[/img] Getting back to JrKASperov's questions, I don't have any problems with sharing files over our network. I have had to tell ZA about my home network and say that it's allowed, but that's it. I do the same thing with the shared printers and server, too... they have fixed IP addresses. Frankly, you should be getting questioned on communication with another machine unless you've okayed it. Hmmm... and doing that might just eliminate the in-network protection I talked about above, except that your software firewall should register permissions for individual executables. So it's got to be an allowed program communicating to an allowed IP address. My standard batch of protection: Spybot S&D Ad-Aware AVG Anti-virus ZoneAlarm HiJack This (for serious cleaning only) [ 11-26-2006, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Bungleau ] __________________ B Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last.