Re: Newbie firewall config guides?

From: NeoSadist (neosad1st_at_charter.net)
Date: 12/06/03 

Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 21:47:50 -0700

nooneimportant wrote:

> Trying to find out how to configure a firewall, generally consider myself
> pretty system savvy. Run Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D religiously. Have tried
> running a firewall other then the XP included one before, and had a
> headache with it so removed it... Trying again now.

So sad ... you're stuck in a windows environment. You must baby-sit your
operating system with ad-aware and spybot.
If you're using windows, use GOOD antivirus and GOOD firewall, and I
recommend Norton Internet Security.

>
> What i have is a desktop connected to the internet via cable broadband,
> have coax from the wall to the cable modem, then cat5patch from modem to
> desktop.
> Connected to the desktop is also a laptop on Cat5crossover (no
> hub or router in use).

Not good: you need internet connection sharing to run a network that way,
and to be honest that method sucks. I strongly recommend getting a
firewall router and just hooking both computer directly to it. That would
kill two birds with one stone: it will give you NAT, make networking MUCH
easier, and also provide a firewall. Also, that way the machines don't
depend on each other, which helps prevent a problem on one computer from
screwing up the other (but then again, you're using windows).
But see, your problem is that you will have to buy all this. With Linux,
IPTables is free, adware isn't a problem, spyware isn't a problem (so far),
you can much more easily use iptables firewall with NAT and share internet
the way you've connected the computers. With linux, viruses aren't a
problem either (at least not yet).

> I have zonealarm installed on the desktop, and have no problem
> accessing the internet or using programs that connect to the internet
> (instant messaging etc.) from the desktop, but it halts all traffic from
> my
> laptop.

Well that's why I said ICS sucks. There are almost no firewalls on the
market for home windows pc users that will handle that setup properly,
except maybe norton can.

> I know an easy solution would be to get a router, then set
> zonealarm up on both machines, but i'm a bit on the cheapside and am
> trying to learn more about firewalling (pretty sad when i have an IT
> degree yet never learned a damn thing about system security, wonderful
> school i went to
> didn't offer anything remotely related).

Yes, a router would be good, and if the router don't have a firewall (or if
you're just ultra-paranoid), you can use zonealarm on both. However, if
you're going to learn about firewalling and how networking works, take a
class or else get linux and/or read the documentation from them on how the
network works. One WONDERFUL tool for learning is ethereal, which allows
you to "listen in" on the network and watch how things work (with or
without firewall up).

> I have googled myself into a
> corner and can find all kinds of goodies for setting up on a single
> machine, but nothing for a config similar to what i have here... I know
> its possible so i put my question to the almighty firewall guru's here to
> point me the
> right direction. Suggestions?'

LOL googled yourself into a corner, eh? Uh, well I don't think you'd want
to go with linux (since you're new to computing, etc, cannot survive
without such and such application...), but it would be wise later on. For
now, read on the internet on how stuff works. I can't remember the link
that taught me what i now know, but hold on ....
http://www.interhack.net/pubs/fwfaq/ this should teach you thinks you may
or may not know about how firewalls work, and at the end it talks about how
networking itself works (very brief overview). 

-- 
Heuristics are bug ridden by definition.  If they didn't have bugs,
then they'd be algorithms.

Relevant Pages

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