[perfume]

DEAR FRIENDS,
I have never used a Hardware firewall before and what are it's advantages and limitations,if any?

How important is it in the scheme of things regarding security OR is a software firewall enough?

Thank you!

[mrss]

If you have a NAT router between the PC and the internet connection modem, you have a hardware firewall.

What it does is assign your PC a IP address like 192.168.1.100 while your Internet Provider assigns your connection an IP address like 24.123.45.67. Without the NAT address translation, any traffic sent to 24.123.45.67 goes direct to your PC. With NAT, the router decides if your PC requested it first. If not, it tosses the data. Some routers have additional screens. It means your PC is not directly visible to others on the net. They can't even ring the doorbell.

The built-in windows firewall will also do something similar to the above.Assume no hardware firewalll and the world can see your PC, but the PC gatekeeper software still turns them away when they ring your doorbell. From what I saw when I had dialup and no router, one probably gets 10-20 probes an hour like this., looking for open ports or compromised ports. Unless you have these vulnerabilities, nothing will happen, but it is a pain in the neck if your firewall chirps everytime they bang on your door.

If you have networked PC's, you definitely want that network isolated via a hardware firewall. Otherwise, I believe a hacker will be able to directly pound away at the access/sharing protocols and eventually break the security.

[Jason08]

Although the added security is a major advantage, one disadvantage is that is makes it harder to run servers or anything that needs ports open, because there are more things that have to be done to get the ports open than with a direct modem connection.

[macro_scoop!]

i got u a very interesting link to some article ... its title:
"What is a Hardware Firewall and Which Hardware Firewall is Best?"


http://articles.onlineweblibrary.com/Art/1288/40/What-is-a-Hardware-Firewall-and-Which-Hardware-Firewall-is-Best.html

[lotuseclat79]

No matter what vendor you purchase a hardware firewall (router) from, unless you learn how to:
1) change the default admin password, and
2) stealth all of the ports, and prevent fragmented packets from getting through

One is just as good (or bad) as another, but some may be easier to modify and change.

-- Tom