Windows 7 Firewall or my Router?

Should I use my routers firewall? Windows 7? or both....?

Router's firewall is always in action no matter what you do, which is a good thing. NAT stuff. "Network Address Translation" Look that up on Google if you're curious about it. Unrequested incoming packets are blocked, simply because they don't know where to go once they hit your router. That's why you are much more protected behind one.

Windows Firewall is activated by default which is also a good thing. Generally speaking, neither the router nor Windows Firewall needs attention by the average end user unless they want a server. Then ports need to be forwarded and permissions applied.

torrentg said:

Router's firewall is always in action no matter what you do, which is a good thing. NAT stuff. "Network Address Translation" Look that up on Google if you're curious about it. Unrequested incoming packets are blocked, simply because they don't know where to go once they hit your router. That's why you are much more protected behind one.

Windows Firewall is activated by default which is also a good thing. Generally speaking, neither the router nor Windows Firewall needs attention by the average end user unless they want a server. Then ports need to be forwarded and permissions applied.

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I second that!

OK, I think i'm going to just use my routers firewall with the windows one. I have to wait til I get my new modem though to set up my router. I heard that a router plugged into another router or modem/router can be problematic

Having multiple routers make sharing problamatic. But I am running 3 routers and a switch and I have no problems gaining internet access.

dragotron said:

OK, I think i'm going to just use my routers firewall with the windows one. I have to wait til I get my new modem though to set up my router. I heard that a router plugged into another router or modem/router can be problematic

Click to expand...

Not problematic. Depending on configuration, could be lots more secure. For instance, I have 2 routers. All my internal stuff works off one of them. So I could have a full lan without other router. Tranfer files/remote into other pcs/share printers/stream audio or video etc...No outside interference.

The "lan" router connects to "outside" router/dsl modem, for internet access. My wireless devices, such as PSP, are on this "outside" router.

It's a very solid/secure setup, especially using WPA2 (AES encryption algorithm) with long, randomly generated password. The ISP, really has no idea where packets are going on my network once it leaves their dsl modem I'm using. They all go to my "lan" router and that is my NAT device.

If you want to have a server, port forward both routers similarly.