RE: [PCTECH] Need firewall protection, but have to LiveUpdate w/o firewall. What to do?

["Dan Bale" <dbale@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pctech-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx / Scott Johnson
> Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2004 5:06 PM
>
> If I understand you correctly, you are behind a Hardware
> firewall.  If that is true, you should be protected
> unless someone has opened up something there that
> they should not have.
>
> Why would you want to install a Software based one?  I
> work behind a Linksys router.  I do not run any type of
> firewall software on the PC itself. Why take up CPU
> cycles running something that is done a lot better
> someplace else.  Heck for the longest time I did not
> even have virus software on the PC.

Hi Scott,

Yes, the Gigafast is a combo firewall/router, and I bought it primarily for
the ability to put multiple PCs (up to 4) on our cable internet pipe.

But I have no idea how well the firewall works in its default configuration.
To me, it is just a "black box".  The documentation does not teach me what I
need to know about configuring it.  Maybe there's nothing to configure.
I've set my browser to the device's configuration page but, frankly, I've
only ever used the Reset & Restart buttons on it.  I have a long-time habit
of unplugging the power on the cable modem when I'm not using the internet
but while I'm doing other things on my PC.  (Who me, paranoid?  Call me
whatever, but at least I didn't contract Sasser like some people I know.)
I've also visited some of the better-known web sites that test your
"openness" and have gotten good marks for my setup.

I also use SpyBot S&D and admit to being paranoid about keyloggers.

It would be nice to know whether the firewall is blocking anything, but it
offers no stats for this.  This is perhaps one of the reasons I consider for
using a software-based firewall, so that I can see what's hitting my PC.
The other is that, as good as a hardware firewall can possibly be, it isn't
infallible.

Thanks,
db