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Software Firewall + Hardware Firewall = Overkill?

F

Funky_Junk

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 1, 2005
Messages
353
I already have a hardware firewall in my router, and I was wondering if it would be overkill to also install a software firewall (such as zonealarm)? Is it just a waste of resources? Thanks.
 
zero_vertical said:
overkill. kill the software side. if they crack your hardware wall, you're screwed anyways. ;)

dR
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I disagree.

A software firewall doesn't just to protect you from internet threats, it also protects you from yourself and people on your own network. If there is more than one PC on the network, then a software firewall will help protect you from the other machines. Anyone remember Blaster or any of the dozens of other self-propagating worms? The more machines you have on your network, the larger the risk. This doesn't mean you have to purchase something. I find the built in firewall in XP/Vista/2003 to work just fine.
 
I know some people prefer to run both because many software firewalls allow them to control what applications on their PCs are allowed to access the network. I personally don't bother with a software one. There's only two PCs on the network and I manage both, so I'm confident that there's no problems with either.

I do isolate a few things into different VLANs, namely my Vonage adapter and my hardware VPN router for work. Each is in its own VLAN that only has access to the Internet.
 
MorfiusX said:
Sorry, but I disagree.

A software firewall doesn't just to protect you from internet threats, it also protects you from yourself and people on your own network. If there is more than one PC on the network, then a software firewall will help protect you from the other machines. Anyone remember Blaster or any of the dozens of other self-propagating worms? The more machines you have on your network, the larger the risk. This doesn't mean you have to purchase something. I find the built in firewall in XP/Vista/2003 to work just fine.
Click to expand...

no need to apologize. I only run 3 rigs on my home network, and it's only my wife and me. management of internal network threats isn't a big deal for me. If i had a couple more systems running, and a child, I'd be running both. For now, it'd be a waste of system resources for me (as they are all wh0res in that sense, Norton being the worst)
 
Im the only person on my network. Do you think windows firewall with my linksys firewall router is enough?
 
I don't install any additional firewall software, but I do leave the Windows XP firewall running.

If your machine is up to date and has the firewall turned on, and you have a decent wan firewall, you should be ok. If you let other PCs on your network that may not be up to date like friends, family members, etc., I would dump them into their own network.

I think software firewalls suck, personally, and would rather set up my network so that it is not possible for another machine that may be compromised to communicate with mine.
 
Funky_Junk said:
Im the only person on my network. Do you think windows firewall with my linksys firewall router is enough?
Click to expand...

The built in Windows firewall on most modern machines doesn't use enough resources to be noticeable. Personally, I would leave it on.
 
Don't forget to add the tinfoil hat. That's the last line of defense against hax0rs.
 
Personally I use both. The hardware firewall will not block outbound connections if your computer is infected and trying to talk via malware. The windows firewall doesn't do that either. Basically if your computer can make an outbound connection the firewall thinks it is ok to allow.

Now I know most of you use safe surfing practices and are perfectly sure that your computer is clean and not trying to make unnecessary outbound requests, but my philosophy is better safe than sorry. And if you are on a computer where you are worrying about the resources software firewalls are using then you might need to upgrade to some post 1995 :).

PS. I actually have a tinfoil roof on my house along with my hat!
 
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