Is a firewall a necessity? if yes, which one do you recomend?

[Rawan AbuSalman]

Hi...

Is a firewall a necessity? If yes, which do you recomend?
(I only know about Norton Internet Security and McAfee Personal Firewall...Which is better? Or if you know of any better one, please specify...)

Thanx

 

[EricB]

get a software and a hardware one (router)

 

[BASSMASTER]

I use free zonalarm, works great

 

[Rawan AbuSalman]

thanx for your replies...

Can you please explain what you mean by "software and hardware one"?

thanx

 

[Erich K]

I would very highly recommend using a firewall. And in the area of which to use i recommend ZoneAlarm

 

[Rawan AbuSalman]

Forgot to ask about the Windows Firewall that comes integrated in SP2...is it any good? or is it enough?? or should I install another one?

 

[EricB]

Forgot to ask about the Windows Firewall that comes integrated in SP2...is it any good? or is it enough?? or should I install another one?

not really.

zone alarm (software) and a router (hardware) is an example

 

[Rawan AbuSalman]

How does a router help? (I understand it has a firewall built in...but what exactly does it do for it to be different from regualr software firewalls??)

 

[Ste]

for one having a router is another IP between your computer and the internet, most ports are automatically blocked with a router.

but I really can't think of an exact reason they just are.

 

[TheMajor]

I don't think it's neccesary, but it's useful and safer. I always used to use Sygate Firewall. I still use it on my server.