Will a software firewall protect me on a network?

touser3 · Post by **touser3** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 4:36 pm

Hello everyone, i was wondering if installing a software firewall on my laptop will protect me from other computers on the same internal network? The reason i ask is i frequently go to LAN parties and use my laptop and some of the people there enjoy skrewing other peoples computers up over the lan. So the question is will a software firewall like TPF protect me on an internal network?

scabbo · Post by **scabbo** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 4:59 pm

Define "protect"

You have some pretty good flexibility with ZA and Sygate to "tell" the firewall how much access you want to give other users on your lan.

What Firewall are you using now? If none dl ZA. It allows you to set up your lan so that you can place it in the Internet Zone which would restrict other users from acessing your PC.

Hope this helps.

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Fri Oct 17, 2003 5:45 pm

No don't install ZA it's terrible. Use Sygate it's FAR superior and will protect you on a LAN, it uses a lot less resources and won't hamper your connection.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 9:22 am

And add to that, be smart about your system when you take to LAN parties. I've seen LAN parties where peeps share out their entire C partition with no password protection. Many have hosed systems by the time they leave, due to others that love finding these naive newbies and screwing with their system. If you must share out something, make it only a directory like C:\download or something like that, and read only, and good passwords, not shared to everyone. Don't have "blank" passwords for the Administrator account, etc. Lock your workstation when you get up and walk around, or step out for a smoke or whatever.

Microsoft 98 · Post by **Microsoft 98** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 1:52 am

I would use norton internet security 2001,2002 is not bad never got 2003. But your more propected if you just buy a DLINK router 604 and up.