(OT Again). Software Firewall v Hardware Ones

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 5:23 pm

Just a quesion though about firewalls. My new modem/router has a built in firewall. I also use Zone Alarm pro. I was told by a guy in the help section that I don't need 2 firewalls anymore and that I can delete Zonealarm. Would you agree with that? If I don't need ZoneAlarm it would save me some money, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks

PJ · Post by PJ » Sun Nov 13, 2005 6:25 pm

Brand & Model would be nice for the Hardware Firewall. Then ill can give you an answer mate.

Regards

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 6:36 pm

PJ wrote:Brand & Model would be nice for the Hardware Firewall. Then ill can give you an answer mate.

Regards

The Brand and Model is:

Thomson SpeedTouch 546

Thanks!!

PJ · Post by PJ » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:59 pm

Shouldnt be any problems for you to disable ZoneAlarm. One thing you must think of is that if you use applications (like FTP server, game server etc etc) you have to forward those ports from your firewall to your computer or else the other computers on the internet wount be able to find your servers. But ill guess you are into music production and doesent use those kind of things on your computer.

I know that you can save some performance when you disabling Zone Alarm, but if you wanna be 110% sure of not letting any hackers in i would recommend you to use both the hardware firewall and Zone Alarm. But the hardware firewall should be fine so you should not have to worry if you choose to un-install Zone Alarm.

Ill hope this help for you. Maybe not the exatly answer you was looking for but hey...at least something

Good Luck

Regards

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:11 pm

Thanks for your response PJ.

Actually my serious music making PCs are not connected to internet. My internet machine is may gaming machine, but also where I download software upgrades which will find themselves on my music PCs. So I am concerned that my updates could get "hacked or infected".

With your comment regarding making ports available for games, the helpdesk from my ISP say I shouldn't need to make ports available with my hardware firewall. With ZoneAlarm I had to allow access for onlinegaming, but I am discovering not all my connections to gaming are successful with my hardware one.

But are you absolutely sure that if I disconnect ZoneAlarm my hardware modem/router firewall is sufficient?

Thanks

jerry123 · Post by **jerry123** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:41 pm

The thing is, if you are the average computer user, no one is going to hack you.
It like getting rolled for a pair of All-Stars.
Hackers are not interested in a computer unless it can benifit them.
Spyware is just kind of 'around' like dust.
Virus' are just like virus'! That makes sense.
So the thing I never understood about a software firewall, is that something would have to get into your computer before it even reaches the firewall.
I am ignorant to alot of interweb technology, but it seems to me that you would want the firewall on the outside of the computer.

Where does the term firewall come from?
Is it a wall of fire keeping things out or a wall that prevents fire from coming in?

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:28 am

jerry123 wrote:The thing is, if you are the average computer user, no one is going to hack you.
It like getting rolled for a pair of All-Stars.
Hackers are not interested in a computer unless it can benifit them.

How do you define an average computer user? I am online virtually all the time, so am I an average user?
I have to disagree that hackers are not interested in a computer unless it interests them. I know lots of people (kids mainly), who hack purely for the heck of it. Not because they can benefit, but only to see if they can. Ok these kids are no doubt just amateurs, but they do it anyway. They download some hacking software and try it out

jerry123 · Post by **jerry123** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:06 am

This is very true. I assume an average user to be online alot, emailing IM'ing and such.
What I was referring to was what is your computer good for to a stranger? Do you have information they need? Is your computer in some sort of control of something important? Maybe they just want to have fun.
I used to know guys who would try to get into big networks or try to get a bank of computers to do something. I just assume that if you are not an adminsitrator of a network of any importance to major services in our social/economical culture, hackers won't be looking for you specifically.
You can still worry though. Anything is possible.

Hypomixolydian · Post by **Hypomixolydian** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:38 am

I wouldn't have anything worth stealing I guess. My main concern I suppose is that I buy stuff on internet quite a bit so I wouldn't want things like key loggers to enable hackers to find out my credit card number (for instance). Plus I download stuff that I transfer to my serious music machines (software updates, patches and so on) so I wouldn't want them to be corrupted as my music PCs are in a pristine state (in terms of smooth running and crap free) and I want them to remain that way.

Perhaps I am being too paranoid, but better safe than sorry