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do i need a software firewall?

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intoxsickated On October 21, 2006

Deleted



Suburbia Hell, California
#1New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 01:57:02
ok, so i set-up a wireless network in my house. the router i bought has a built-in hardware firewall.

the old router that i'm replacing had a hardware firewall as well, and that's all i ever used (as far as firewalls go) for the past couple of years or so, with no problems.

now i have a couple of laptops hooked-up to this new router. my question is:

now that i'm wireless, is the hardware firewall on the router enough to keep people from messing with my stuff? or should i have a software firewall installed on the laptop as well?

i know it's ok to use both at the same time, but i hate having too many things running on my system at once because i'm weird. i currently have the xp2 firewall disabled.

i think what i'm trying to ask is, is it somehow possible for someone to hack a computer between the router and the wireless laptop?
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#2New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:03:52
Use the XP firewall and you will be fine.
El_Tino On October 12, 2023
booyaka!





Albuquerque, New Mexico
#3New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:17:31
I assume you have secured your wireless network with a password?
intoxsickated On October 21, 2006

Deleted



Suburbia Hell, California
#4New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:26:35
@el_tino Said
I assume you have secured your wireless network with a password?


yea....i followed some rules about how to make it more secure.

i stopped broadcasting the SSID thingy and i enabled the mac filtering option and programmed those.

i also changed the default passwords and made one of those 40 character long ones, but i wasn't sure if that would just keep people out of being able to use my network, or if it was securing the wireless laptops as well?

i guess i will use the xp2 firewall as well, i wanted someone to tell me i didn't need it!
annski729 On July 24, 2016




, United States (general)
#5New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:28:05
@intoxsickated Said
i guess i will use the xp2 firewall as well, i wanted someone to tell me i didn't need it!


You don't need it.
El_Tino On October 12, 2023
booyaka!





Albuquerque, New Mexico
#6New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:28:34
@intoxsickated Said
yea....i followed some rules about how to make it more secure.

i stopped broadcasting the SSID thingy and i enabled the mac filtering option and programmed those.

i also changed the default passwords and made one of those 40 character long ones, but i wasn't sure if that would just keep people out of being able to use my network, or if it was securing the wireless laptops as well?

i guess i will use the xp2 firewall as well, i wanted someone to tell me i didn't need it!


eh, you should be alright then.

I like to have a firewall installed if only because it tells me what programs are trying to access the internet.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#7New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:30:00
My opinion is that unless you are using WPA encryption with a very strong password, you need a local firewall in all instances where you are using a wireless network.

WEP, and even WPA with weak passwords, is too easy to break.
annski729 On July 24, 2016




, United States (general)
#8New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:30:07
@annski729 Said
You don't need it.


I lied. You know better than to listen to me though so I dunno why I'm even posting this. Maybe to see the F again.
intoxsickated On October 21, 2006

Deleted



Suburbia Hell, California
#9New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:34:33
@jonnythan Said
My opinion is that unless you are using WPA encryption with a very strong password, you need a local firewall in all instances where you are using a wireless network.

WEP, and even WPA with weak passwords, is too easy to break.


i have WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]. i have no idea what that means , but i set-up a password with the maximum 63 characters allowed because some website told me to! i did the cut and paste thing.
jonnythan On August 02, 2014
Bringer of rad mirth


Deleted



Here and there,
#10New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:37:31
Holy s***.

You're fine. Don't worry about a firewall.

Just be sure to turn it on if you take a laptop to an unsecured network, like a cafe or something.
intoxsickated On October 21, 2006

Deleted



Suburbia Hell, California
#11New Post! Aug 04, 2006 @ 02:46:20
yay! that's what i wanted to here!

i don't think i'll be going out of the house with it though.
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