Re: Newbie Firewalls?
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Date: 11/05/03
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Date: 5 Nov 2003 14:46:24 -0800
"Lazy Senior" <spamno_lazysenior@mchsi.com> wrote in message news:<pI8qb.112717$Tr4.315972@attbi_s03>...
> I recently got cable internet a few days ago. The installer told me to get a
> better firewall than the one in Win XP which is my operating system.
Glad to hear the installer said that. At least they are taking some
steps to protect their users.
> I
> downloaded 3 trial versions of firewalls. Zone Alarm Pro 4 , Black Ice, and
> Kerio.
I have used ZA and Kerio free editions. I prefer Kerio, but that's a
personal decision.
> Both ZAP and Kerio seem intrusive to me
> (especially ZAP) and ask me questions that I dont know how to answer...Black
> Ice on the other hand hasnt asked me anything, which
> makes me wonder if it is really effective protecting me?
Personally, I have found that putting up with the questions at the
onset allows me to tailor the rules on the fly. After a short time,
the number of questions drops.
You don't really need a college course, but if you think of your
computer like a car, it really helps to know some of the basics, like
what warning lights you have and what they mean. In this way, your
firewall is an interactive warning light, and it should allow you to
define how to react in similar situations.
When a dialog box appears telling you that some program is trying to
access the internet, you need to understand what that program is.
Sometimes it's benign, like your browser or email client (for several
values of benign), or it could be a less desireable program trying to
report your activities like Gator and similar apps.
You can also access the logs for your firewall and, by following the
help files or posting your questions in a relevant newsgroup (of which
this is one), determine what is or is not being detected or prevented.
> I dont have [a router], my Motorola Sb 5100
> is connected directly to my ethernet card. I have only one computer.
You are probably okay with just a software firewall, but you need to
take precautions against running malicious attachments and defeating
the firewall. A hardware firewall will continue to protect you from
external attacks, and those with hubs can offer multiple connections
when you find the need.
Personally, I used an older computer with two ethernet cards and
installed a program called smoothwall. There are others, like ipcop,
and each may be better or worse. Basically, it converted that old
computer into a hardware firewall with intrusion detection and remote
configuration (once installed it does not need a keyboard or monitor).
Others will post their opinions, take them all with consideration, but
also take the time to visit your local computer user group or retailer
for more help.
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