 | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 | | Solved: If I have a router do I need a firewall? I have bitdefender 11 antivirus and a wireless router I got as part of my earthlink service for making my apt a wireless hotspot. Do I need a firewall too? | | Distinguished Member with 7,661 posts. | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cyberspace Experience: Advanced | | If your router monitors outgoing and incoming traffic, I guess you don't really need a software firewall. It's really up to you. | | Distinguished Member with 3,622 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Near Washington, D.C. Experience: Advanced in Networking | | I would say it doesn't hurt to also have a software installed. | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 | | That's the problem, I don't know what the router is monitoring, if anything at all.
I know the modem is on NAT. I also know the router is being used for connecting my wireless laptop to my dsl desktop.
However I don't get any messages from the router asking if I want to allow this or that.
Should I get a firewall or not? | | Distinguished Member with 7,661 posts. | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cyberspace Experience: Advanced | | What is your router's make and model? | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 | | Hi Phantom,
The router is Linksys Wireless G Broadband Router
Model WRT54G2 V1
Modem is ELNK Zyxel P660-R
Thanks again. | | Distinguished Member with 3,622 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Near Washington, D.C. Experience: Advanced in Networking | | By putting 192.168.1.1 in the web browser should get you into the router (with both the username and password being admin.) There you can see the different security settings on different pages for the router. | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 | | Here's a screenshot of the security settings. | | Senior Member with 1,329 posts. | | | | Your Linksys only seems to have NAT, which is sort of a firewall, blocking outside access. But I have seen other Linksys models having SPI ( stateful packet inspection) which is truely a firewall.
The router cannot pop up alerts on your PC asking for you to allow this or that traffic, because it is external to your PC. Only software firewalls can do that, as only they can see what program is running on your PC. | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 |
27-Aug-2009, 02:21 AM
#10 | Quote:
Originally Posted by lunarlander Your Linksys only seems to have NAT, which is sort of a firewall, blocking outside access. But I have seen other Linksys models having SPI ( stateful packet inspection) which is truely a firewall.
The router cannot pop up alerts on your PC asking for you to allow this or that traffic, because it is external to your PC. Only software firewalls can do that, as only they can see what program is running on your PC. | So you're recommending I get a software firewall? | | Distinguished Member with 4,606 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Experience: Getting it |
27-Aug-2009, 06:36 AM
#11 | Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapustin Yar So you're recommending I get a software firewall? | I would.
I use Linux, router and have software firewall.
Nothing is perfect. If something manages to get on PC, software firewall may alert you that something is trying to connect to outside world. Router may stop it but you still aren't aware of anything, unless you intend to read all of its logs all the time. (You can usually set it up to e-mail you the logs. I don't do this.)
__________________ "The only stupid question is the one not asked." Me Empowered by Linux
"Software is like sex; it’s better when it’s free." Linus Torvalds | | Distinguished Member with 7,661 posts. | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cyberspace Experience: Advanced |
27-Aug-2009, 08:29 AM
#12 | With your type of router, I would get a software firewall as well. Try Online Armor's firewall or Comodo. | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 |
27-Aug-2009, 10:37 AM
#13 | Okay gang, thanks very much, You're answered my question! | | Distinguished Member with 3,622 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Near Washington, D.C. Experience: Advanced in Networking |
27-Aug-2009, 11:25 AM
#14 | I, too am in favor of getting a software firewall with your setup. | | Senior Member with 166 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Experience: User Since 1998 |
27-Aug-2009, 11:48 AM
#15 | Yes, thank you too Jason! |  THIS THREAD HAS EXPIRED.
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