Network Config & Security 'HELP' Pleeeaseeeee

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Unclewilley

3 posts

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#12825 8-Apr-2007 07:56

I'm a newbie to Geekzone. I have been looking at various "expert" sites/forums and Geekzone seems like one of the good ones and it's free - yeah!

I would like to enhance my home network configuration and URGENTLY need to resolve my firewall/security sw mess. I have reviewed the thread "What's Your LAN Like?" and other threads on firewalls etc. sw; however, I still need some suggestions - PLEASE!!

Current Network etc.
- Cable modem - Linksys BEFCMU10 (wish I could get FIOS but we will too far off the beaten path)
- Router - Linksys Wireless G Braodband, 4 port switch, WRT54G
- Laptop - DELL Inspiron 6000 - Widows XP, wireless to router using 802.11g
- Desktop - DELL - windows XP, wireless to router using 802.11g
- Printers - DELL Laser MFP 1815 dn - cat 5 to router, option to direct connect to laptop with USB
- HP Laserjet IIIP (old but works) - direct connect, parallel to desktop DELL

"Security" Software:
- Desktop - ZoneAlarm Pro, Norton Antivirus, Spybot, Adaware, Spyware Blaster
- Laptop - Currently using "Freedom Security and Privacy Suite" from my ISP, Adelphia (will be converted to Road-Runner when Timewarner finishes takeover of Adelphia in Western NY). "Freedom" is causing lots of problems and there is no way of getting fixes with the looming conversion to Road-Runner. I was using the same software as the desktop; however, I got frustrated with the increasing "hastles" of keeping Zonealarm and Norton licenses up-to-date. I ended up with different licenses on the desktop and laptop that expired on different dates. At some point in the past I think I had a multi-computer license for ZA and or Norton but that got screwed up.

DESIRED Addt'l Hardware:
-- Network drive - for data shared by desktop & laptop AND for backup -- SUGGESTIONS?
-- Backup software - images for full recovery in the event of a drive failure AND data backup -- SUGGESTIONS?
-- Removable drive(s) for backup/image copies "off-site" storage/rotation -- SUGGESTIONS?

Soooo, I would like to make any necessary changes to fix this mess. I have seen multiple comments/suggestions posted in the recent past.
-- Firewall sw not needed with the Linksys WRT54G router -- is this true??? any special config. settings required?
-- ZoneAlarm Pro with AVG Anti-Virus
-- AVAST or TrendMicro PC-Cillin
-- Spyware Terminator or Windows Defender or AVG Antispy
-- AdaWare & Spybot

? Does my current hardware (router, cable modem) seem appropriate?

? Is it too early to move to the 802.11n (Non-standard) routers etc.?

? Firewall -- hardware vs. sw (anybody looked at the ZoneAlarm Z100G or Eli "TrustEli.Com)

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

cyril7

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#66583 8-Apr-2007 11:30

Your hardware setup seems just fine, but is there anyreason why you cannot use ethernet cable to either of the PC's, its more sceure, and gauranteed speed, unlike Wifi.

The WRT54G has a SPI (stateful packet inspection) firewall, as such is as good as it will get. I would ditch ZA, XP has a basic but low overhead builtin firewall to help catch what would get by any holes you have opened in the WRT54G.

Unless you can demonstratively see the 54Mb/s WiFi/g link as a bottle neck then I would not upgrade to version n. I assume 99% of your traffic on your two computer network is between the PC's and the cable modem, the latter of which I presume only has a 10Mb/s connection, so will a faster Wifi interconnect do anything? As I said before, if you can cable your PCs to the router then all the better. Wifi should be concidered a convienence not a normal connetion if a normal one can be facilitated.

As for AntiVirus and Spyware, I use AVG as its free, and seems to keep on top of things, I also AVG antispy and occasionaly run spybot.

Cyril

Unclewilley

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#66593 8-Apr-2007 15:12

cyril7

Thanks for your comments.

The reason I use Wifi for the laptop is that I move it around the house (study, family room etc.). Also, as far a local security e.g. Wifi hacking, we live in a rural area and not very close to other houses and far off the road.

My interest for increased speed is due to traffic between the two PCs. At present I use Windows XP "Briefcases" to synch data files between the two PCs including email. I'm hoping to move the shared files to a network drive to eliminate the "synching". Also, looking to a true backup system to eliminate some of the "synching" between the PCs.

Batman

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#67828 20-Apr-2007 09:07

hiya guys, i'm just trying to piggyback onto this thread regarding router firewall -

here are the options in mine router

Firewall Configuration
DoS Protection
DoS attacks can be checked based on your specific need.
State:	Enabled Disabled
	SYN Flooding checking
	ICMP Redirection checking
Port Scan Protection
Port Scan attacks can be checked based on your specific need.
State:	Enabled Disabled
	FIN/URG/PSH attack
	Xmas Tree attack
	Null Scan attack
	SYN/RST attack
	SYN/FIN attack
Service Filtering
The following services can be blocked based on your specific need.
	Ping from External Network
	Telnet from External Network
	FTP from External Network
	DNS from External Network
	IKE from External Network
	RIP from External Network
	DHCP from External Network
	ICMP from LAN

do i need tick every box? will it cause problems with 3rd party file sharers or other programs?