Re: OT: Wireless Networking?

[Adam Maas]

Ryan K. Brooks wrote:
Don Williams wrote:
The only way to be as safe (as its possible to be now) is to have a 
hardware firewall. Many of the wireless 'modems' are also firewalls. 
Its just a matter of configuration. I have a pretty good one 
'Speedstream 5667'. I have disabled the Windows software firewall 
software because its just a bloody nuisance.

No home user actually has a hardware firewall.  These devices (linksys, 
etc.) are just small computers running OS'es and firewall software with 
their own set of problems.

It may help to abstract the firewall from the host computer, but it's 
just more software in a black box...

-Ryan

Ryan,

That describes even the highest-end firewall, many of which are actually 
running on some Unix variant (Linksys uses Linux, Checkpoint runs on 
Solaris, Linux or FreeBSD). A hardware firewall is nothing more than a 
piece of hardware dedicated to firewalling (And usually basic routing as 
well) and those little consumer boxes are hardware firewalls, even if 
they aren't as powerful or secure as a PIX or Checkpoint. But if they're 
doing NAT, they're secure enough for most use.

-Adam