Do I need to use Norton Personal Firewall 2002 if I am using a 4 port Linksys Router

[gomcse]

May I know do I have to install Norton Personal Firewall 2002 if my PC is connected to a 4 port Linksys Router already ??

Please advise and TIA.

[Dokeman]

I am behind a linksys firewall and installed BlackIce because i was wondering the same thing. i didnt get the first hit so i uninstalled it. So, no you probably dont the the firewall program. Those are mostly for people who do have hardware firewalls.

[F4_Hunter]

I'm running a Linksys with no software firewalls and I haven't been hacked yet. I've run Shields Up! at www.grc.com and it couldn't find any vulnerabilitys.

-F4

[Praetorian]

I've been told that you should use software firewalls along with your hardware firewall. I'm using the Linksys BESFR41 (or something like that) router and Shields Up is finding my network secure. The reason is that hardware firewalls only allow incomming data that has been requested by a client on the network. The software firewall monitors both ways. I guess if you unknowingly download a virus and it starts to send something on your computer out to somewhere the software firewall will find it and stop it. I'm not 100% sure so lets turn to someone else.

[bobcat]

I have both a LinkSys router/firewall and ZA. I wanted to ftp off of SUSE w/o using a an FTP Proxy. Just the regular unsecured FTP. Well, after 1 minute of being logged in the SUSE site ZA started going nuts. I was unable to shutdown or anything. Pulled the plug. No harm done.

[F4_Hunter]

Praetorian is right I belive.

But we all know I'd never download a virus :D j/k

[jman01pa]

I have a Linksys too. I run Nortons Firewall. I know that the router makes me invisible to the outside world. But if I let something in - it has no trouble getting out.

Go here and get Leaktest to see for yourself



Leaktest (https://grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm)


J :)

[shadow]

I'd have to agree that for maximum safety using ZA (or similar) would be a good idea, altho I don't use ZA since installing the Linksys router. BUT I should. Perhaps using it on its lowest settings simply to monitor programs that attempt a connection would be worthwhile.

Before my Linksys, I ran IIS on Win2k and used ZA. My logs showed that I was constantly being scanned by CodeRed infected servers but I had the patch so wasnt worried. Then along cam Nimda. I turned on my server monitor one day to see a ZA popup asking if tftp.exe could connect, I clicked NO, another popup was behind that one...and so on to the tune of about 15 of em. Nimda seeks a vulnerabilty and once finds it, initiates your tftp.exe and downloads the virus to your system from the infected server via tftp. Not in my case...ZA stopped it, well worth having it run.

Which reminds me, I'd better get it running again even tho I dont use IIS anymore. The router stops any initiations from outside of it and ZA will stop any from inside, the perfect pair for good security.