Bob, Thank you very much for the good info. You've fired me up install the setup you describe. Until now I've probably just been luckier than I deserve to be.
Mike --- On Tue, 5/18/10, Bob Sneidar <b...@twft.com> wrote: > From: Bob Sneidar <b...@twft.com> > Subject: Re: getting the user's (internet, not local network) IP address > To: "How to use Revolution" <use-revolution@lists.runrev.com> > Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 4:10 PM > Hi Mike. > > It is the generally accepted rule of thumb that some kind > of firewall appliance between your cable modem and your > computer is highly advisable. First, it almost certainly > will use some form of NAT, which is Network Address > Translation. This converts the packet info containing your > local IP to the public IP of the gateway/firewall, > effectively hiding your local IP from any casual bots or > even a real hacker. I think all modern gateways detect IP > spoofing so the packets would be dropped. By default, most > home gateway products allow all outbound traffic, while only > allowing approved inbound traffic that you have configured. > Mostly you won't need to do this, but some older PC games > require you to open up ports. Peer to peer file sharing will > as well. I recommend you avoid those like the plague. > > A personal firewall is also recommended in a situation > where there are several computers connected to yours > locally, say throughout the house, and especially if you > have a wireless access point on your local network. Wireless > access points are not very secure, unless you take the time > to lock them down which most people have no idea how to do > well. If everyone has a personal firewall running on their > computers, it becomes much harder for a determined hacker > who got in (like your neighbor's kid who cracked your > encryption on your wireless access point) or a worm on a > computer on your network trying to compromise other local > computers, say from your neighbor's kid who brought over his > laptop for he and your kid to use. > > If you take these precautions, along with some decent form > of antivirus/antispyware (avoid the free ones please) and > you keep your computer up to date with Windows Update, your > chances of being compromised are almost nil. > > Bob > > > On May 17, 2010, at 6:14 PM, Michael Kann wrote: > > > <snip> > > The part that scares me a little is Bob's remark: > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > Still, I think the more likely scenario for this > thread is that he -- that being me -- doesn't have a > firewall solution that is not a personal firewall, which I > always recommend for any home user or business. > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > What that tells me is that a personal firewall isn't > really sufficient. > > > > Thanks again for the info, > > > > Mike > <snip>_______________________________________________ > use-revolution mailing list > use-revolution@lists.runrev.com > Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage > your subscription preferences: > http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution > _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution