On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 3:38 PM, RLeeSimon <rleesi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have a new Linksys Router with, of course, their built in firewall. > BEHIND it is my desktop computer. Also, I use my laptop to it wirelessly. > WPA encryption is enabled. Do I need a software firewall at all ? I have > PCToolsPro on my desktop computer which causes some misery. I have > ZoneAlarm on my laptop which causes some more misery. My internet > connection sharing worked ok but my network would not do fileshare or much > else with all that going. With it shut off, bingo, everything works! Am I > ok this way or what? If not, why? TIA!! > I didn't see a clear answer, but maybe I skipped through too quickly. 1. Protection from Internet attacks. You don't need a software firewall to protect you from attacks the Internet - the router should handle that. So all that advice is indeed correct. 2. Protection from wireless attacks. Someone mentioned that the router wouldn't protect you from someone else on the wireless. But WPA should keep people you don't know off. If you have guests you let on the wireless, you have to figure the threat from that. 3. Protection from web sites or other user oriented attacks. If you get infected, you will be one of the millions of PCs that are part of botnets that send spam and attack sites. A software firewall can help with this, catching some programs trying to send to the Internet. (not all of them). Rootkit, malware, and other scans can also help. -- John DeCarlo, My Views Are My Own http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34091576500&ref=mf ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
