Linksys + Software Firewall

I have just created a network using the Linksys BEFW11S4 router. Presently I
have one laptop (XP Home ED) connected by ethernet RJ45 (awaiting WPC11
PCMCIA card) to the router and another centrino laptop (XP Pro) connected
wirelessly to the router. Both can surf the net without problem with their
Sygate freebie firewall up and running.

Problem 1. The problem is that the only way the two computers can access the
others shared files is with the firewalls disabled. Access is refused to the
network when the firewalls are up and running. I tried using XPs native
firewall and encountered the same problems. Does anyone have any
suggestions to hep a networking newbie? I am assuming it is not too safe to
be on cable broadband without a software firewall. Is this correct? Does the
NAT function provide sufficient safety. FWIW the SSID is not being
broadcast, WEP is enabled and Universal Plug and Play on both laptops is
disabled as is Windows Messenger Service (to stop pop up messenger spam).

Problem 2. I could not get XP to accept a 128 bit WEP key. Only the 64 bit
10 digit key was accepted. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
Paul

> Does the NAT function provide sufficient safety.
simply: yes it does!
if you don't install any port-forwards to your machines behind that router
you won't have any security problems. sure a firewall would increase the
security, but do you need this?

yours, dreamguard.

superfly75017 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Problem 1. The problem is that the only way the two computers can access the
> others shared files is with the firewalls disabled. Access is refused to the
> network when the firewalls are up and running. I tried using XPs native

You should be able to adjust some preferences to make the IP address of the
other system "trusted".
http://smb.sygate.com/support/documents/spf/hosts.htm

> NAT function provide sufficient safety. FWIW the SSID is not being

NAT provides adequate protection from the internet, but none from someone
connecting wirelessly, and none from some bug that does get in and takes
over your computer. Sygate monitors outbound traffic as well.

> broadcast, WEP is enabled and Universal Plug and Play on both laptops is
> disabled as is Windows Messenger Service (to stop pop up messenger spam).

I connect to public places with my WiFi, so I can't enable WEP. I have a
ZoneLabs Pro firewall on the laptop, but no additional firewall on my home
machine. It is behind an SPI firewall, not just NAT.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

"Wolfgang 'Dreamguard' Nagele" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:3f440cc0$0$15992$(E-Mail Removed) y.telekom.at...
> > Does the NAT function provide sufficient safety.
> simply: yes it does!
> if you don't install any port-forwards to your machines behind that router
> you won't have any security problems.

I'm not sure this is true. If a user (accidentally or otherwise) downloads
an unwelcome executable, there is nothing stopping it opening up an outgoing
connection and causing havoc. Remember that Blaster works like this by
opening up an SMTP session once on a machine. NAT alone will not stop this.

Martyn.


sure a firewall would increase the
> security, but do you need this?
>
> yours, dreamguard.
>
>