OMG I am Surprised!!

[DanGrease]

Have you guys ever heard of something called Hardware Firewall? You probably have, but have you guys tried one of these before? Some maybe, I am one of them. We decided to have broadband here so we checked for a dealer and we got ADSL internet connection. We needed a Router, so we bought one from D-Link. Today I figured out why my internet connection was so poor. This Router comes with an intergrated advanced firewall and since I alrady had Norton with my OS it gave me problems. So I uninstalled Norton and the problem was gone. Now I thought, do these firewalls really work? I mean you dont see them work or block such as a software firewall so you really dont know. So I figured out why not test it. Symantec's site has a test for you to see if your current firewall is doing its job. I tested it a while back with my Norton Firewall and it still said I was vulnerable to the internet world. I failed the test, even if I used their firewall. I had before got a better score with Sygate but still failed. When I tested it this time with my Hardware Firewall I got a surprise. With Norton some ports where open, no one in Stealth mode (safest) but when I did the test this time, I passed it, with one port open (the ping port, normally opened) one blocked, and all the others in Stealth mode! This means that Hardware Firewalls are easier and way safer. No more software, memory eater programs like Norton! And I am safer now. And I always thought these firewalls were extremely expensive, but it turn out this one wasnt. The router itself costs 500 Kronor, which is about $50. I really recommend these firewalls to all that are not sure if their firewalls are really tough enough. I had always heard the hardware firewalls are better than the software ones, but they are too expensive. But this one impressed me. Never thought I would have the opportunity to have one of these but I guess I was wrong.

dan

[crystaldragon]

Hardware firewalls are pretty common built-in to routers. As you already see they really do work.
As I understand it the biggest difference is that the hardware firewall blocks incoming attempts (stealth) and the software firewall blocks outgoing (programs trying to establish a connection behind your back).
I'm sure someone can clarify it further if I'm too far off base.

JD

[RicheemxX]

sounds to me like you'vd had issue with your software firewalls in the past either due to user error/setup error or maybe just bad software. I've been running zonealarm{freebie} for a year or so now and never once have I failed a single test


and yes crystal dragon is correct software firewalls are also in place to protect from outgoing programs and allow outgoing program control where as a hardware firewall is mainly set-up for incoming attacks

[DanGrease]

I just recently got issues when I used Norton Firewall because when I installed the Router with firewall they couldnt interact together, and blocked each other, etc. So my internet connection was poor when I accidentally had them both. Now its normal and works excellent. Anyways Norton has always caused errors, and slowdowns in my system. I recommend thses things both for home and business users.

dan

[ShawnD1]

I too use ZA as well as a router. If you ever get a virus and it tries to call home and send away information; your software firewall like ZA will stop it. The router will absolutely never stop outgoing traffic because it's not designed to.

[agathodaimon]

Yeah, I love my router firewall.
I also use the free ZoneAlarm software firewall in addition to my router and have never had any problems.

And yes, I have used Norton before too and had a LOT of problems... I just don't think Norton is very good in general... Too bulky for my taste.

[Xtreeme]

Like their AV. Worst though is Mcaffe. LOL what a mem/resource hog. In the old days it would grind your Pentium with 64mb ram to a screeching halt! I know. THe free AntiVir doesnt and its FREE> I love it.

[Gait_Keeper]

I am the Zone Alarm poster child
I've been using Zone Alarm for 4 years maybe longer.

I'm also behind a router. hardware, software firewall and common sense and you'll be fine

Oh ZA the free version

Zone labs should send me a tee-shirt

[DanGrease]

Downloaded ZoneAlarm free version just to see if it really worked together with a router since everybody seemed to be using both. It works great! No problems so far, now I am totally secure. One thing though, can someone explain to me what a Hardware firewall blocks and not, since you have to use a Software firewall with it to be totally secure.

Haha, just got an attack, and ZoneAlarm blocked it, does this mean that the Hardware firewall isnt as great as I thought, or does it block the attack but it doesnt tell you that it did?

dan

[Ace McGirk]

Originally posted by DanGrease
Downloaded ZoneAlarm free version just to see if it really worked together with a router since everybody seemed to be using both. It works great! No problems so far, now I am totally secure. One thing though, can someone explain to me what a Hardware firewall blocks and not, since you have to use a Software firewall with it to be totally secure.

Well ,my setup,ZA pro and dsl modem with NAT.NAT stops any attempt to initiate a connection from the net to my machine.I do have a few ports opened in NAT to let a couple progs work,but ZA stops any harmful stuff getting through.

Haha, just got an attack, and ZoneAlarm blocked it, does this mean that the Hardware firewall isnt as great as I thought, or does it block the attack but it doesnt tell you that it did?

dan [/B]

Not at all,remember ,nothing is perfect.You need to look at the log viewer in ZA to find out if what was blocked was incoming or outgoing.Since getting DSL ZA almost never detects any incoming alerts,NAT stops those.ZA stops any outgoing that I have not given permission for.


I too have run ZA for years,not one virus/trojan/whatnot.My sister visited not too long ago and my first virus ever was because she setup my mail prog to check her mail,guess what she had in her inbox?

Even using ZA, I still use "Spybot search and destroy" and the free online scan at http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ on bi-weekly /monthly basis.