Router Firewalls?

[Cutlass]

How good are they? Compared to the software firewalls commonly available. I have a Linksys router. Only a couple years old. Is that all the firewall I need?

 

[Zelig]

That and the Windows firewall are fine.

 

[Padma]

If you manage your hardware (router) firewall properly, you don't really *need* a software firewall....

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Im not sure, but DD-WRT might have a more robust firewall if you're that paranoid. Personally, I have the router one and the windows one when im using XP or Vista. Only once did I feel a need for a strong software one, but me and dad got that piece of malware sorted out quick.

 

[kuukkeli]

That and the Windows firewall are fine.

You don't need Windows firewall with router firewall on. Packet filter + NAT (which are found in most of the routers these days) is way beyond the protection offered by Windows firewall.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

As long as you use good security otherwise. A router won't help you none if you don't got a decent antivirus.

 

[Cutlass]

I had been running Zone Alarm in my PC with the router outside of it. My old router kept crashing, so I thought it was not handling attacks, which is why I replaced it not too long ago. I almost never got a Zone Alarm warning, but it made me feel better to have it. Unfortunately, the latest update of ZA locked up my PC. And I had a heck of a time deleting it before the PC would run properly again. I was thinking of a clean install of ZA.

 

[g.welsh5498]

The linksys will help you to stop unwanted intruder to attack personal computer anyway. You can configure a NAT and disallow all the incoming ports that are less than 1024.

Note: 1024 or smaller are reserved for server end applications like FTP, email or web browsing.