Software vs Hardware Firewall

Hi,
I have Norton Internet Security installed on my XP.
Recently, I've started subscribing ADSL connection.
I have a Linksys WAG200G ADSL modem + router with hardware firewall.
Do I need to uninstall NIS ? Won't they just do the same thing, hence redundant ?
Is there any reason why I want to keep my NIS installed ?

System will run MUCH better without the bloated NIS...which is one of the biggest jars of molasses you can gop your computer up with.

Routers in gateway mode, like your Linksys, will give you hardware firewall protection via NAT. Blocks all incoming traffic that did not originate from within. Which is the primary thing you want to protect your computer(s).

However...it does not check outgoing traffic..it assume all traffic originating from within is trusted, and safe.

For many people with well locked down and protected systems, and who are careful, this isn't a problem. But for many...they want to know everything going out of a computer...all outbound traffic must be granted approval. And for this..a software firewall that checks both directions is needed.

If you want a software firewall in addition to a NAT router...I recommend a better one with less system impact...such as Comodo. (free by the way)

You're right. My system runs like turtle after I installed NIS.
Thank you for the suggestion. I think I prefer the free Komodo.
I just tried to install and see how it runs.
Well, my system is so much snappier since then.
I think I will switch to Komodo.

Make sure you do a better uninstall of NIS....the regular windows installer service through add/remove still leaves a lot of junk behind.

When I remove it from systems...any Norton/Symantsuck product on the system...I use the removal tool called SymNRT
Google it..first hit usually takes you to the SymNRT page on Symantecs support site..where you can download it (active X through Internet Exploader) and run it.

I then run a TCP/Winsock repair utility...to rebuild the TCP stack/winsock files to virgin default.
http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/WinSock_XP_Fix/winsockxpfix.html

And...assuming you're running another antivirus program? Of other freebies that are better than Nortons....AVS (Kaspersky free through AOL), or Antivir,

doesn't "netsh winsock reset" command do the same thing as your link?

It doesn't give the option to back up your previous config, but...

0ldman said:

doesn't "netsh winsock reset" command do the same thing as your link?

Click to expand...

It does. Just easier to have someone download a self standing executable..and push a button...than to try to walk someone through command prompt. Yes those of us who do IT for a living can run netsh at the prompt in our sleep.....but for the average end user...much easier say "Here...click this".

just curious. Nice to know as the winsock reset isn't available pre-SP2 and sometimes my brain and my fingers don't agree on the order of the letters...

I've used LSPFix.exe before, but it doesn't reset to default, just lets you pull out the offending plugins/changes.

I use Zone Alarm but a free firewall is cool too!

I assume you are using NIS 06 or earlier these versions of NIS are extremely slow and installed added software that there competitors offered just to show they offer it, well it doesn’t do that good of a job and really slows the PC down. Personally @ home I have firewalls/security packages on every computer that is running behind a hardware firewall that does monitor/block inbound/outbound traffic.

If you want a good security package NIS 07 or the more user friendly Norton 360 are very solid choices that have firewall, AV, backup, spyware removal, fraud monitoring just to name a few or Checkpoint/Zonelabs.
If you want to go free then I would use Comodo for a firewall, bitdefender or AVG do a decent job for Anti Virus and I would recommend getting spybot/adaware for a simple spyware scan, however now a days I would recommend a real time spyware tool such as spyware doctor but this will prolly add mover overhead then NIS 07,360 or Zonelabs, however with that said spyware will slow your PC down to a craw as well.

Hope this helps but think of security like your home you might have a security system (router) but how effective will it be if you don’t have it configure properly or lock all the doors but leave the windows, or garage doors unlocked.

While I agree about Spybot/Adaware, I have tons of customers with spywaredoctor that call me because their system is fried.

I've not been impressed by any version of Norton when it comes to spyware. I still make quite a bit of money cleaning spyware, and more than a few of my customers use NAV or NIS, and quite a few are using the most recent version.

I have little faith in Symantec over the past few years, and I sold more copies of NAV 2002, 2003 and 2004 than I can remember. After 2004, NAV took a downhill turn.

AVG Free is better at spyware detection than any version of any Symantec software I've seen thus far. I'm not looking for an argument, you're experiences might be the oposite of mine, however, my experience shows that Symantec is late on the game and slow to get the ball.