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Author Topic: Firewall With Smartax MT882?  (Read 3871 times)

brbrown

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Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« on: March 08, 2008, 09:53:15 AM »

I have broadband connected to my WXP computer via an ethernet cable from a Smartax MT882 router. The router is connected to my W98 computer via the router's USB cable. This works very well but is it now safe to do away with the old Zonealarm free firewall on my W98 bearing in mind that Zonealarm no longer supports W98? I use both Firefox and IE6 on the W98. If it is safe, what settings should I adjust on the router?
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soms

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2008, 10:33:59 AM »

Hi and welcome.

The router will have a NAT firewall, which should be enabled by default.

This prevents any incoming traffic from the internet going straight to your computer unless it is something the computer has requested (i.e. when viewing a site etc) or unless you have created firewall rules designed to route traffic straight to a PC (used if you are running any server programs, games hosting etc).

So in that sense your computer is made safe from direct internet attacks.

What it is not safe from is any rogue programs which find their way onto your computer from a download, disc etc which might try and collect data about you and send it over the internet.

This is where ZoneAlarm is still useful - for controlling outgoing internet access on a program by program basis.

So really it would be wise to keep ZoneAlarm, it does do a good job. Secondly your router should be secure by default, with a NAT firewall enabled. If this is case (you can check by logging into the management interface) then you shouldn't really need to change anything else.
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brbrown

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2008, 11:06:53 AM »

Hello Soms.

Many thanks for that. I will keep the old Zonealarm as you suggest. Thanks again. Ammendment:- I have just checked my NAT settings. I am not sure if this is right but there are options to place a dot in DMZ, NAPT, Redirect and None. Only the DMZ is dotted. Also there are options below as follows:- Rule Flavour/ Protocol/ Local IP From/ Local IP To/Global IP From/Global IP To/Actions. Underneath it says No entry.

Does all that sound satisfactory?
« Last Edit: March 08, 2008, 11:17:35 AM by brbrown »
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soms

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2008, 12:08:32 PM »

Hmm, a DMZ is usually set to forward all unknown traffic from the internet to a client machine. Useful for say a public web server which will receive such requests.

For most people, their PCs do not want to be in the DMZ, for the reason that they loose the protection offered by NAT.

By the sound of these options, I am not sure if these are actually controlling the NAT or are the available options for handling unknown incoming traffic at the router.

It might be helpful if you could attach a small JPG screenshot to see the context in which those options are presented.
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brbrown

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2008, 12:39:42 PM »

Hello again. Screen shots below. Does this help?

[attachment deleted by admin]
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roseway

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2008, 02:12:33 PM »

Have you got a manual for this router? If not, you can download it from here, although it's a tedious business. However the NAT section of the manual doesn't make any reference to the options you show in the screenshot above. It does say that NAT is enabled by default, and that's what you want, so if you haven't changed the NAT settings you're probably OK.
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  Eric

soms

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2008, 02:31:42 PM »

I agree with roseway.

Having looked at the user guide earlier on there is no mention about the options you have been presented with.

I would agree that as bizarre as that page makes it look, NAT should be turned on and you should be fine leaving it as it is.
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brbrown

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Re: Firewall With Smartax MT882?
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2008, 04:56:12 PM »

Thank you roseway and soms. I'll leave things as they are then. I couldn't download the manual as nothing happened when I clicked for it but perhaps I don't need it now anyway. Thanks again for your help. Brian
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