Router Firewall?

I have a Linksys wireless router, WRT54G Ver 5. Does it have a built in firewall or not? Is it adequate? I haven't given it much thought, because I still had my Windows firewall (I've already read some of the debates on that one) running, but a recent infection disabled my Windows firewall, and I got to wondering whether the firewall in my router was enough to keep my hidden while I was trying to debug my computer.

Your router probably only operates a NAT firewall. There's a neat little movie here: http://www.draytek.co.uk/natmovie.html I have found the streaming to be really bad, so i'd be inclined to download it all and watch it that way. Be aware that it's a 32 Mb file: http://www.draytek.streamlinenettrial.co.u...TekNatMovie.mpg

As far as i'm aware neither NAT nor the Windows firewall will monitor outbound connections, so if you want to be fully secure you need a third-party firewall. However, if you're just worried about internet peekers in the short term, i'd trust the router and Windows SP2 firewall for that.


Edit: clarity issued now resolved.

Edited by Noviciate, 30 July 2010 - 04:02 PM.

I have a Linksys wireless router, WRT54G Ver 5. Does it have a built in firewall or not? Is it adequate? I haven't given it much thought, because I still had my Windows firewall (I've already read some of the debates on that one) running, but a recent infection disabled my Windows firewall, and I got to wondering whether the firewall in my router was enough to keep my hidden while I was trying to debug my computer.

Your router probably only operates a NAT firewall. There's a neat little movie here: http://www.draytek.co.uk/natmovie.html I have found the streaming to be really bad, so i'd be inclined to download it all and watch it that way. Be aware that it's a 32 Mb file: http://www.draytek.streamlinenettrial.co.u...TekNatMovie.mpg

As far as i'm aware neither NAT nor the Windows firewall will monitor outbound connections, so if you want to be fully secure you need a third-party firewall. However, if you're just worried about internet peekers in the short term, i'd trust the router and Windows SP2 firewall for that.

NAT is not a firewall. NAT is network address translation. It hides the internal network from the internet. Firewalls actually inspect packets and accept/deny based upon rules.

So his router would not have done any outbound inspection of packets.

The Windows Firewall in Windows Vista and Windows 7 does have outbound filtering if you specify it. It doesn't do any unspecified monitoring and give you a pop-up for connections like most 3rd party firewalls do. I suspect this was because people would scream their heads off if they had anymore pop-ups in Windows. Most people are completely clueless about IP addresses anyway and 3rd party firewalls generally confuse them. They make them believe they are being attacked when there is 0.0000001% chance of someone on the internet trying to attack someone's personal computer.

Edited by JonM33, 30 July 2010 - 10:53 PM.

Apologies snuffmc if you are using either Vista or 7, I assumed that as your thread here states -

First, Im running XP Pro SP3.

that you were referring to the same PC.