>I thought I had a handle on things until I read these emails about >firewall. I'm using my granddaughters G4 with OS 10.3.7 and the Mail >program (she does not want my copy of Emailer on, darn). She just >ordered DSL from SBC and they said nothing about we needing firewall. >We have our phone service with this same company. I would think they >would have told us we needed a firewall when we put in the DSL order, >would they?
You don't *need* a firewall. There is no technical requirement for one. It is just a safety issue. If you don't have one, and instead you connect your computer directly to the internet, you run the risk that eventually someone may gain access to your computer from the internet. If you run a Windows PC, this is almost a certainty (in fact, studdies have shown that it takes less then 30 minutes for a Windows machine to be compromised when connected directly to the internet... my personal finding was under 10 when I made the mistake of connecting my Win XP laptop directly to the internet while I was testing a DSL connection... in under 10 minutes, my laptop had been infected with a virus, and I did NOTHING more then connect to the DSL modem to set the configuration, and then to DSLReports.com to do a speed test). On a Mac you are a little safer, but even then, it is really just a matter of time if you are running OS X before you are compromised in some way. (If you are running pre OS X, it may actually never happen, there were very limited ways to attack a pre OS X mac to begin with, and now no one is really seeking out new ways to do it). So it isn't that you *need* a firewall, more that you should have one. Plus, if you do have at least a NAT router (which often is one in the same as a firewall device), you can connect multiple computers to the one internet connection and share the bandwidth. When you get your SBC DSL service, see what it comes with. Many DSL providers are now including firewall/routers as part of the setup. SBC may do that. If not, then you can just go to your local office supply store or computer store and buy a cheap one. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net> ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
