Security & Firewalls

I'm a little worried about my level of security on my Belkin G+ MIMO Modem wireless Router.

I'm running XP Pro (with SP2) and share my computer with 2 other machines, a laptop, & another desktop machine, (one running XP Home & the other XP Pro). Apart from the internet, we all share files between machines.

Now I've enabled WPA-PSK with TKIP encryption, also MAC filtering, but I notice this modem doesn't have NAT provision.

Obviously I have my Firewall on to protect this Network connection, but my question is: Should I be doing more? In other words is a Software firewall needed on all 3 computers?

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Charles, to bluntly answer your question. NO. As long as you have a long nonsense password / encryption key, you "should" be safe. Still, I recommend that you also have a software firewall running on all computers to monitor what programs are sending packets from your machine or what programs are tyring to access the internet without your knowledge. Other than that, by using WPA-PSK, MAC filtering as well as router with NAT and /or SPI protection, you are ahead of the game. Take care.

Reply to
Doug Jamal

On 26 Aug 2006 09:54:43 -0000, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote in :

Very good with a strong passphrase -- all you really need.

MAC filtering is too easily spoofed to be of value.

Are you sure? Low-end routers are based on NAT(PAT).

Software firewall is a good idea. The one in XP is adequate.

Reply to
John Navas

Where you need to go is to the O/S and harden it to attack, like using Authenticated User Group on Shares, Disable Simple File Sharing, etc, which can be done on XP Pro and other things that can be done on Pro and Home.

The buck stops with the O/S. It doesn't stop with some wireless encryption or a personal packet filter/firewall.

The buck stops at the O/S.

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Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

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