OK...Talking about firewall

Bruce Wutzke · Post by **Bruce Wutzke** » 21 Jul 2006 2:24 am

If I am using a mechanical router/firewall,
do I then need a software firewall such as Zone Alarm? I have been told that a mechanical router/firewall and an anti-virus software is all you need for security and protection.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 21 Jul 2006 5:05 am

I use both, but your question is a good one.

I installed the router for the purpose of setting up a wireless LAN at home, but then I started seeing things in the documentation about how Network Address Translation – NAT protects the router and its users from outside intruders gaining access to a private network. Basically, it ignores all incoming packets from the internet unless one of my LAN devices has requested it.

Pretty cool stuff, but there's a learning curve, to me, at least - all the terms, IP address, subnet mask, virtual server, filters, MAC addresses, DHCP, yada, yada. Takes a little time to assimilate all of it.

So, my router gives me hardware firewall protection, but I already had ZoneAlarm running before I got the router, and I still run it, mostly in case I set something wrong on the router and partially defeat its firewall protection. I do play around some with allowing WAN access to my internet camera (with its built-in server).[This message was edited by Dave Potter on 21 July 2006 at 06:13 AM.]

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 21 Jul 2006 6:34 am

Bruce;
I strongly recommend that you use a combination of hardware and software firewalls. While the router's firewall will protect your LAN from unsolicited external attacks it does nothing to stop internally initiated threats from calling out. If you acquire a backdoor, Trojan, or spam relaying Worm it will either phone home for instructions, or will simply broadcast itself through your Internet connection and firewall.

A good software firewall will stop such internal threats from calling out. I use ZoneAlarm on all of my computers, even though I am behind a hi-tech Netopia router/firewall.

If you are using Windows XP and install a software firewall you should disable the built-in Windows Firewall. ZoneAlarm does this for you upon installation. You don't want two firewalls fighting over traffic.

I have more information about firewalls on my website, as a child of my FAQs.

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices

[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 21 July 2006 at 07:37 AM.]

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 21 Jul 2006 9:02 am

it does nothing to stop internally initiated threats from calling out

EXCELLENT point. I hadn't considered that..yet.

Bruce Wutzke · Post by **Bruce Wutzke** » 22 Jul 2006 10:36 am

I am trying Zone Alarm Pro for the 15 day trial. I seem to be doing OK except for ebay.
With ZA Pro on, the home page does not load fully, when I access "My Ebay", I get an extra page to click on and then have to sign in every time, even after checking the "remember access" box. BUT the biggest thing....when I go to any item page, it never stops searching and the hourglass never goes away.
If I turn ZA off....everything is normal. I have tried different settings to no avail.
Any thoughts on this?

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 22 Jul 2006 12:14 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>With ZA Pro on, the home page does not load fully, when I access "My Ebay", I get an extra page to click on and then have to sign in every time, even after checking the "remember access" box. BUT the biggest thing....when I go to any item page, it never stops searching and the hourglass never goes away.
If I turn ZA off....everything is normal. I have tried different settings to no avail.
Any thoughts on this?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Bruce;
ZoneAlarm Pro comes with a web content filtering feature which may be enabled by default, and which is probably stopping required image files or cookies from loading. Open the configuration and look for a web content, or web filtering section. There will probably be a setting or two there that you can uncheck to get things working again on eBay pages. I personally dispise that kind of censorship and deactivate it on any program that ships with it.

Note:
Way back when I first went on the Internet I found and installed a software firewall called AtGuard. It was a great software firewall, with lots of configurable incoming and outgoing ports and IP addresses, and it also had all kinds of "blocking features" that if enabled would render most webpages useless. I disabled every filter it had and let it continue it's life as a firewall only.

AtGuard begat the Tiny Personal Firewall, which begat the Kerio Personal Firewall, which is now the Sunbelt-Kerio Personal Firewall. Interestingly, AtGuard was sold to Symantec who prettied it up a bit and now call it the Norton Personal Firewall. All these firewalls have Internet content filtering, some including Javascript blocking, all inherited from AtGuard. This wreaks havoc with websites that rely on certain 1x1 tracking gifs, ad banners and cookies to do business (such as eBay).

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 22 July 2006 at 01:16 PM.][This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 22 July 2006 at 01:17 PM.]

Bruce Wutzke · Post by **Bruce Wutzke** » 22 Jul 2006 12:37 pm

Buried deep in the bowels of some Advanced setting, I unchecked a box "filter IP traffic over 1394".
That seemed to do it. I never did like ol' 1394.....I think.
Thanks Wiz!

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 22 Jul 2006 1:15 pm

(post cancelled due to lack of specifics)[This message was edited by Dave Potter on 22 July 2006 at 02:19 PM.]