Firewall?

[QBA]

Hi

If I'm using a router bettween the internet and my computer do I really need to have a firewall like Zone Alarm or the one that comes with Windows XP Pro SP2 runing?

thanks

Alex

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

No if you have a half decent router their's no need for an annoying software firewall.

The only use for software behind a good router is in a public or huge area setting.

 

[Him]

Or if you are overly paranoid, and you want the extra protection.

What kind of router are ytou running? It only has a firewall if it says it has a firewall.

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

If your overly paranoid juse use a BETTER hardware firewall

 

[BoobieSrUs]

hardware firewall is much better than any software firewall you can gte... I would suggest make sure your router has a good firewall, if not then get a new router ok... this is gonna cost some money if its the worse of the two...

If your router has a firewall, you dont need a software firewall.. If it doesnt, then you do need a software firewall.
If your paranoid, and your router has a firewall, then get a software firewall, like ZoneAlarm 5.0 Pro. ...

Does this make any sence?

 

[QBA]

Thanks guys I unsitalled both Windows and Zone Alzrm from my system and I went to this page and test my security.

http://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?rh1dkyd2

the results are that my system is as secure as it gets

thanks I guess I don't need a software firewall

 

[The51]

I use Norton for pop-ups and UDP's and such, it's good to have when you need it.

 

[QBA]

I think that between here and other forums that I posted this question, I have heard the same both side of the argument.

1. Router only control inbound traffic so does XP Firewall, you need a third party Firewall like Zone Alarm to control the outbound traffic.

2. Router is already stopping the inbound attacks, so be worried of a virus that could come via email or via a third party .exe installed by me. A software firewall couldn't stop it, so what I really need is an antivirus and a spyware/addware protection.

I'm tempted to go with the less annoying of the two solution, I think that avoiding having a third party firewall with the annoying popups, security alert, oncoming updates and using my systems resources seems like a ideals choice for me.

So I just posted this new post ========>>> http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54141

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

1. Router only control inbound traffic so does XP Firewall, you need a third party Firewall like Zone Alarm to control the outbound traffic.

And why do you want to block anything outbound? And routers kinda can block outbound, like SMTP E-MAIL

 

[Blitze105]

Well i never get popups from z/a, mainly because I turned them off. It just does it automatically. Another reason is that I don't install alot of new software, I don't need much. Anyhow, system resources... I dont know about you guys, but i don't even notice avg and z/a are running most the time.