Netgear FVS318 8-port VPN Firewall/router
Posted on 05/12/2007 3:35:30 PM PDT by pctech
I need help with finding a good firewall for my home network.
I have been using software firewalls (ZoneAlarm, McAfee) and I've been using a router (Netgear) for my network and I've really had no problems except for a few hiccups.
Problem is, the software is constantly being changed and it doesn't really block the items I want to have blocked. It seems that spam, popups, phishing are the new threats and software firewalls don't do the trick.
I know there are router/firewalls that I can purchase but you can only program in an extra 10-20 URLs or IP addresses to be blocked. I can purchase internet filters but I have to install them and maintain them on all my computers. Major pain in the neck.
What I want is to purchase is a hardware firewall that I can access to program in sites to blocked, either by IP address, MAC address, or URL. As long as that firewall is between the router and modem I have to update only one item and everyone is protected. I also don't have to worry about file and printer sharing on the network as a firewall won't interfere with that.
Does anyone out there know of something I can purchase that isn't too pricey that would fulfill my needs? Thank you for your assistance.
Systematic is good.
I have a NAT firewall, Linksys, use Firefox with the NoScript plugin ... Thunerbird for email, turn on spam blocking ... problem solved. I also run Ubuntu Linux. but you may not want to go there. The wife runs WinXP with the same stup as above, and is slowly warming to Linux.
Have you thought about using a proxy server?
You'd only have to load the blocking software on one machine.
Perhaps XP Internet Connection Sharing would work in this case. I've never used it, just wondering.
Netgear FVS318 8-port VPN Firewall/router
Get yourself Firefox, with the Add-ons "Addblock Plus" and "Flashblock". Addblock Plus comes with a list of hundreds of URL's to block, and lets you add or delete if you need to, and maintains the list. Flashblock puts up an icon where any Flash would show, and you have to click on the icon if you actually want to see that Flash.
Hardware firewalls will let you add your own URL's to filter, But each one has to be typed in by hand, and their interfaces tend to be slow and tedious.
With Firefox, Adblock and Flashblock, it's all pretty much automated.
Yes, entering a bad URL once is better than entering it N times. But entering it zero times is better than doing it one time.
Here’s a link for PC World’s recent review of “Top Security Suites” - http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,125857;page,1/article.html
Surplus Computers has “McAfee VirusScan Plus 2007 for $9 shipped”
Buy.com has “Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2007 from $8 shipped after rebates for upgraders” Not sure if it is the 3 user license. Been using NIS for several years and am very pleased. Used to get it for free after rebates, but paid less than than $10 for the 3 user license.
Here’s the link where I found the info for Norton and McAfee - http://dealnews.com/categories/Computer/Computer-Software/124.html
I have thought a proxy server but I don’t have the extra computer equipment to do it, though that is a good idea.
systematic? Never heard of it. I’ll check it out.
I’ll check it out. Thanks.
I do have Firefox with those items, but I can't monitor or use the same thing on my kid's computer because they don't use Firefox.
Aside from it using too much memory, it is impossible to get rid of. It will slow down your PC, use up all your resources and block you from accessing all kinds of Safe Internet sites no matter how many times you tell it to let you in. Then when you've finally had enough of it and decide to uninstall it, you can't. You can try to uninstall it, you can also go to their web site and down load the removal tool, but that wont work either. The next thing you can try is going into your registry and deleting it by hand, however, it seems to keep coming back to life like some kind of super vampire. What Norton's finally recommends, after hours of being on the phone to some guy in India (who may be able to speak English words but doesn't understand anything you actually say), is to "just format your hard drive".
There are plenty of freeware alternatives out there, I would recommend "Hijack this" and a good spyware removal tool like "Spy-Bot" to go along with the firewall software you use. But for the love of Pete, STAY AWAY FROM NORTON'S!!!!
Oh don’t worry, I know ALL ABOUT NORTON! I will never use their products. They were good once upon a time but not any more.
Fair enough. Firewall it is.
I had used the big 3 firewalls, Netgear, D-Link and Linksys for years. They have nice low prices.
But I have gotten tired of their weaknesses: poor tech support, easily overloaded with multiple users, and needing power cycle reboots. Now I'm spending a couple hundred each for more solid firewall-routers. That's probably above most home users price range. But if any lurkers are interested, they are a ZyWall 2 Plus and a HotBrick LB-2.
The whole internet and Windows thing is getting really awful!
My windows is cumbersome and locks up and is very unfriendly. The spam just keeps coming. I am having nightmares about Viagra and Cialis...with it coming thru on spam and on the endless commercials! any guy that wants viagra will get it, even if it means going to Mexico!ha.
It is depressing, and I am not computer savy and I know some computer friends, but if I have a simple problem they come over and spend 38 hours messing with the computer, reinstalling stuff etc. then the software is f...d up again and they say” Oh, man, it wasn’t anything I did.nah. Uh, just uninstall windows and re load it!!!!”sure. sure thing. will do that right away dude.
Just disgusted tonite with it.sorry for the endless rant.
I just stumbled across it one day and decided to give it a try and have found it extremely useful. I don't know a whole lot about computers, but one day I had a PC and then almost overnight (it seemed) I suddenly had a PC, my kids each had a computer and then I got a Notebook when I went back to school , then the Playstation 3 and my Tivo, then I had to hook my PDA to the internet, the next thing I knew I had a network the size of a small business.
That little tool did it all for me, it manages my security, detects intruders, allows me to update and service all of my computers from one PC and will allow me to connect to my home network and access files and even print from my Notebook when I'm at school. It also monitors my kids' computers and emails me where they are going, who they are emailing and who they are chatting with, will ask me for permission to let my kids get emails and IM. The thing is just awesome.
It gives you a free trial for a month and then I think it's $40 for 5 computers and another $10 for 3 more.
There maybe other programs out there that do the same thing, but I have no complaints so far. It also gives you some networking tips too that I found helpful. One thing it suggested that I did was take an old PC that I had and I stripped it down to nothing but an Ethernet port and 6 - 2.0 USB ports and a 300 gig hard drive. I loaded Windows 98 on it and then plugged all of my printers into it and use it as a print server and file server and once a week I back up all my files to it. Pretty low tech but it was a life saver a couple of months ago when my son's computer got infected.
I used to have that problem because I put my email address on a lot of sites. One site too many is all it takes for them to sell or rent your email address to anybody and usually to everybody. The only cure is just to delete the messages and never asked to be taken off their mailing list as this only proves to them your email address is correct. Then it takes time for the spam to quit, like a couple of years, maybe.
I’ll check out the items you mentioned at the tail end of your message. Items like Netgear, D-Link and Linksys are good for small home use networkers who just want a plug and play firewall/router, but I want something I can put some time into and that can protect me from the bad guys.
Thanks for your suggestion.
No problem on the rant, I do it from time to time myself.
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