NIS 2010 and Wireless Router Firewall

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

I'm new to wireless here in my home and have what may be a dumb question:

 

The new Linksys wireless router on my cable modem has a built-in SPI firewall.  Should I use it in addition to the NIS firewall, and if so, should I use any of its filters?

 

Filter Anonymous Internet Requests (default is ON)

Filter Multicast (default is OFF)

Filter Internet NAT Redirection  (default is OFF)

Filter IDENT (Port 113)  (default is ON)

 

It also offers the following four web filters:  Proxy, Java, ActiveX, and Cookies.  The only one I wonder about is the proxy option.

 

Also, I have my desktop hardwired to the router and I only use wireless for my netbook.  Am I correct in assuming that the firewall and filters are only for the wireless?

 

Thanks for your input.

2

I'm new to wireless here in my home and have what may be a dumb question:

 

The new Linksys wireless router on my cable modem has a built-in SPI firewall.  Should I use it in addition to the NIS firewall, and if so, should I use any of its filters?

 

Filter Anonymous Internet Requests (default is ON)

Filter Multicast (default is OFF)

Filter Internet NAT Redirection  (default is OFF)

Filter IDENT (Port 113)  (default is ON)

 

It also offers the following four web filters:  Proxy, Java, ActiveX, and Cookies.  The only one I wonder about is the proxy option.

 

Also, I have my desktop hardwired to the router and I only use wireless for my netbook.  Am I correct in assuming that the firewall and filters are only for the wireless?

 

Thanks for your input.

3

A software firewall (NIS) filters outbound traffic while a hardware firewall filter inbound traffic. You need both. As far as your Linksys router I would just turn on NAT redirection. It enables look back protection.

 

http://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/rdr.html

4

Hi Bajaboojum,

 

NIS actually includes a two-way firewall as does N360.

 

A hardware firewall is also good however and is a good added layer of protection.

 

The main thing is to never have more than one software firewall installed or active on your computer.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Best wishes.

Allen

5

Hi BajaBoojum,

 

There is a very good reference on configuring these Linksys firewall settings here:

 

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=598649&seqNum=5

 

I would simply leave the router's firewall settings at the defaults.  The real firewall benefit of a router is provided by the Network Address Translation a router uses to send the correct packets that are received from the internet to the computer on your Local Area Network that requested them.  If nobody requested them (the packets are unsolicited) they are simply dropped, which protects the PCs on your LAN from hackers attempting to break in.  This, along with any additional router firewall settings you use, will apply to all computers connected to the router, both wired and wireless.

 

The Norton Smart Firewall is actually a two-way firewall that can block both incoming and outgoing traffic.  When you are behind a router, the router performs the function of filtering the incoming packets, leaving the Norton Firewall to do just the inspection of outgoing communications.

6

I agree with others. You can keep the router firewall as long as it doesn't give you any trouble.

 

Or to make sure that you do not have any LiveUpdate connectivity problem, you can follow this:

 

1. Log in to Router console page.
2. Go to Application & Gaming.
3. Go to DMZ.
4. Click Enabled.
5. Under Destination, for Choose IP Address, provide the local system IP address.
6. Save the settings (Router restarts after making the above changes).

 

Vineeth