Firewall

[leonb]

When I was still using a dail-up connection, I used Sygate Personal Firewall for protection.

Currently I'm accessing the internet via a Billion 5102 ADSL modem/router. I see from the help files that it also acts as a firewall.

Do I still need the software firewall??

 

[dabean]

Hardware firewalls are good at keeping things trying to get into your PC out. Software firewalls are good at keeping things trying to get out of your PC, in.

Say for example you click some dodgy banner or email attachment, a hardware firewall won't stop your PC from sending a million e-mails or uploading your hard-drive. Software firewalls notify you when unauthorised applications try to use your internet connection.

So IMO, the safest route is to use both.

 

[Clipse]

it depends really, hardware router can act as both, depending on how you configure it. General rule of thumb, deny all, and specify which to give access from private/public network.