Do I need a firewall with a router?
Do I need a firewall with a router?
Hello All, I have been using Norton's Personall Firewall for a long time with great success. I recently bought a Linksys 4 port cable/dsl router to share my internet connection with my kids and network our two computers. Both computers were able to access the net but we could not see each others computers. Turns out Nortons Firewall was blocking any access. So my question is does the NAT firewall in the router provide enough protection that I can safely get rid of Norton or should I keep it and just disable it when we want to access the other computer? TIA
DocSilly is right, you can adjust NPF to get your network to work. IMHO, using a software firewall behind a NAT router is like wearing two condoms. If you feel the need for that much protection, it is your choice.
I have been running an SMC router for over a year and from the research and online scans I have done, I think I am pretty secure with the router firewall....
However, I do use NetBeuei (SP?) ONLY for any file sharing over my home network and have password protected the shared resources.... (i.e. File and Print Sharing is not bound to TCP/IP, just NetBeuei).
I have been running an SMC router for over a year and from the research and online scans I have done, I think I am pretty secure with the router firewall....
However, I do use NetBeuei (SP?) ONLY for any file sharing over my home network and have password protected the shared resources.... (i.e. File and Print Sharing is not bound to TCP/IP, just NetBeuei).
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FlyingPenguin
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All depends how much security you want.
The NAT router is more than adequate protection IMO.
What the Firewall will do for you that the router can't is block worms or Adware from communicating out.
The NAT router is more than adequate protection IMO.
What the Firewall will do for you that the router can't is block worms or Adware from communicating out.
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“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.” - Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez
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RubberDuckie
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Agreed with FP....
The NAT router is more then adequate protection for 99% of the people out there.
All really depends on how secure you think you need your computer to be.
Personally I couldnt care less if someone was looking at my files....nothing really to look at. But I have a router and it is REALLY hard to access a computer behind a hardware router. The thing you need to be concerined about are virus's. The average joe will not be able to get around your router and unless you store super secure files you dont need to worry about the supper hacker that can get around a hardware router. Just make sure your not forwarding all the ports to your computer....that would kinda void the NAT.
The little added security of the software FIREWALL is not worth the hastle...Enjoy the freedom of your network...afterall that is what the router/NAT is for. I would remove the software fw....but thats me.
The NAT router is more then adequate protection for 99% of the people out there.
All really depends on how secure you think you need your computer to be.
Personally I couldnt care less if someone was looking at my files....nothing really to look at. But I have a router and it is REALLY hard to access a computer behind a hardware router. The thing you need to be concerined about are virus's. The average joe will not be able to get around your router and unless you store super secure files you dont need to worry about the supper hacker that can get around a hardware router. Just make sure your not forwarding all the ports to your computer....that would kinda void the NAT.
The little added security of the software FIREWALL is not worth the hastle...Enjoy the freedom of your network...afterall that is what the router/NAT is for. I would remove the software fw....but thats me.
JSTMF
Thanks guys I was thinking the same thing but wanted to hear it from others. I uninstalled the firewall and now the LAN is working great. LOL I changed a bunch of skins in Counter Strike on the kids computer from my computer. A few minutes later they started playing CS and were all freaked out The look on their faces when Dad does computer magic is priceless.