firewall ,help

**u2fme2** · 23rd January 2006

My free firewall ends this week (mcafee) could anyone recommend a good free one,
many thanks.
u2fme2

**DJAd** · 23rd January 2006

Zone Alarm is ment to be good, Since having a router I don't bother with a firewall. Just use the built in one. Never had any probs. Then saying that I only have my machine on when i'm using it.

**u2fme2** · 23rd January 2006

you have me thinking now, i use a router so without sounding thick,
do they come with one installed

**DJAd** · 23rd January 2006

it should do mate, most new ones do. I had software ones before and it just pissed me off! When you access the router setup it should have the settings there. What make / model do you have?

**u2fme2** · 23rd January 2006

its a bt voyager 205 adsl router

**DJAd** · 23rd January 2006

hmmm just had a look on the BT site, I can't see if it has a firewall. If you connect to it via your PC your soon see, as it will have a firewall option. I would prob spend out on a new router though instead of firewall software.

DJAd

**tempralflux** · 26th January 2006

The trouble with your router firewall is that it don`t stop or check outgoing programs unless you impose restictions within it.

**destro404** · 26th January 2006

Exactly, software firewalls are useful for catching any spyware trying to make an outgoing connection and also, in certain circumstances, for stopping programs "phoning home"

.
Home routers cannot hope to provide this sort of protection with the basic NAT protection they provide.
The safest option is to use both.
Also, if you're dead set against the software option and are considering purchasing a new router why not spend the money on an old pc instead (or you may have one lying around). Fire in a couple of NICS and load on something easy like Smoothwall and you will have a fully functioning hardware firewall that is capable of things your router can only dream of.