Is a router also a hardware firewall?

Do I need firewall software if I have a router?

JPG

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 14:36:10 +0000, JPG <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Do I need firewall software if I have a router?

Probably - what type of router etc.

--
Hiram Hackenbacker

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
JPG <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Do I need firewall software if I have a router?
>
> JPG


This was discussed at length a couple of weeks ago - and the discussion
polarised into two camps!

*Some* routers have built-in firewalls which will provide *some* protection
against what is received by your network. However, they do little or nothing
to stop rogue programs on your computers (Trojans etc.) from "calling home"
and sending all your personal details to undesirable places.

I am on the "belt and braces" side of the argument - and would keep a
software firewall (specially if it's free, like ZoneAlarm) in addition to
the router's firewall unless it seriously interfered with my operations or
with system performance.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

A router is not a hardware firewall unless it's one of the features of the
router. A router gives you much better protection though when connected to
the Internet than just your local machine. A router uses NAT and PAT to
connect your machine for you, and only opening the ports which your machine
requires.

Andy

"JPG" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Do I need firewall software if I have a router?
>
> JPG

I have a router with a built-in firewall. I am also using Windows XP Home
which I think claims to have a built-in firewall. I didn't think I needed
anything else (e.g. Zone Alarm) too. Am I right please?

Cheers,
John (alias V M)
[To reply to me ONLY, remove the 'zy_']

> I have a router with a built-in firewall. I am also using Windows XP Home
> which I think claims to have a built-in firewall. I didn't think I needed
> anything else (e.g. Zone Alarm) too. Am I right please?

The firewall in XP only stops incoming traffic (and even then only if you
enable it), whereas ZoneAlarm will prevent applications getting out until
you give them the go-ahead.

I don`t know how (or if) a firewall in a router would be able to do this
application level control.

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
* old email address "btiruseless" abandoned due to worm-generated spam *
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
john (alias V M) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have a router with a built-in firewall. I am also using Windows XP
> Home which I think claims to have a built-in firewall. I didn't
> think I needed anything else (e.g. Zone Alarm) too. Am I right
> please?
>
> Cheers,
> John (alias V M)
> [To reply to me ONLY, remove the 'zy_']


AIUI, neither the router's nor XP's firewall will protect you from trojans
trying to "call home" - whereas ZoneAlarm *will*. Every time an unknown
program tries to access the internet, ZoneAlarm intercepts it and asks you
whether to allow it. As far as I know, neither of the other two does this -
simply protecting you against *incoming* nasties.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

idable the built-in XP firewall and get the free version of Zonealarm. This
will stop all inbound and more importantly outbound programs unless you say
so. Secondly it is not made my Microsoft, so it is not partisan, even to
itself!!


"john (alias V M)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c2bq2r$k35$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a router with a built-in firewall. I am also using Windows XP Home
> which I think claims to have a built-in firewall. I didn't think I needed
> anything else (e.g. Zone Alarm) too. Am I right please?
>
> Cheers,
> John (alias V M)
> [To reply to me ONLY, remove the 'zy_']
>
>

"Bigmaggot" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:XX62c.9650$(E-Mail Removed)...

> A router is not a hardware firewall unless it's one of the features of the
> router. A router gives you much better protection though when connected to
> the Internet than just your local machine. A router uses NAT and PAT to
> connect your machine for you, and only opening the ports which your
machine
> requires.

That's only if you *are* using NAT - it's a whole different story if you're
not. OK - I admit most people will be, but quite a few won't be.

In fact. It annoys me when looking at the specs of B/B routers and they say
they do NAT, but don't say whether they don't either!

"john (alias V M)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c2bq2r$k35$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a router with a built-in firewall. I am also using Windows XP Home
> which I think claims to have a built-in firewall. I didn't think I needed
> anything else (e.g. Zone Alarm) too. Am I right please?


Many thanks for your advice folks. I'll disable the Win XP firewall and get
Zone Alarm.

Cheers,
John (alias V M)
[To reply to me ONLY, remove the 'zy_']