Wireless use with no routers question

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  1. Posts : 255
    win 7 64 Home edition
       #1

    Wireless use with no routers question


    I live in a place where i piggyback off my parents connection, i don't use any routers. I just use Wireless .

    Computer works great , the connection has been very reliable and fast and i have a Asus Win 7 SP1 64 bit computer that has had Kaspersky 2013 anti virus in the past but i have been using AVast free for the last few weeks .

    I also run Spywareblaster 5.0 and enable all protection because techs have told me it's good for prevention. I also have Super anti spyware and Malwarebytes with only one having realtime protection. I run scans with both daily and have not had any issues with Malware in over a year.

    When i did get a Trojan or two it was because of my downloading something infected in the past, at least i think that's where it came from.

    I wan't to know since i have no real protection behind a routers Firewall and only have Windows firewall incoming protection what else would you recommened?

    Oh, i never perform financial stuff on my computer and i am the only user, so i am not worried about anything being seen by others.

    Thanks and any info is much appreciated.
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  2. Posts : 10,485
    W7 Pro SP1 64bit
       #2

    Are you behind a NAT device?
    Network Address Translation
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  3. Posts : 255
    win 7 64 Home edition
    Thread Starter
       #3

    After reading your description i don't think so.
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  4. Posts : 10,485
    W7 Pro SP1 64bit
       #4

    A NAT is the only thing that I would suggesting adding to your setup.

    But let's make real sure that you are not already behind a NAT.

    Please visit this website...
    http://www.whatismyip.com/
    ...and take note of the IP address reported there. We will call that IP1.

    Then use IPCONFIG inside a command prompt to determine the IP address assigned to your wireless network adapter.
    (Start > cmd > IPCONFIG - look for the IPv4 IP address)
    We will call that IP2.

    Is IP1 the same as IP2?
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  5. Posts : 255
    win 7 64 Home edition
    Thread Starter
       #5

    No they are not the same . I recently changed the address to open DNS, i really don't know if that's a wise move though.
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  6. Posts : 10,485
    W7 Pro SP1 64bit
       #6

    DNS can be whatever works well for you, but if your IPv4 address differs from the one reported by that website, then you are probably already behind a NAT.
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  7. Posts : 255
    win 7 64 Home edition
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Oh OK, now you don't think i should encrypt data or take any other security precautions, i have nothing on this computer that's at risk fwiw. Say i wasn't behind a NAT, what would you say would be a wise move besides get behind a NAT.
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  8. Posts : 10,485
    W7 Pro SP1 64bit
       #8

    Caveat: I'm not a security expert by any means of the definition.

    Encrypting data on the hard drive is not needed if there is nothing important on that drive. The company that I work for requires that the entire hard drive be encrypted on laptops and there is a noticeable performance hit once we do that encryption. You can also find threads in this forum where something went wrong with an encrypted file and it just will not decrypt. Encryption comes with its own set of risks (and benefits). That said, plenty of people use encryption without any problems or noticeable performance issues.

    If I were to connect a computer directly to the internet (e.g. without a NAT, proxy or hardware based firewall), I would want to make sure that the Windows (software based) Firewall stayed on. I would change the network type to Public. Run a port scan on my internet facing IP address. Update my signature based antivirus tool quite often. Install a HIPS based security tool. And a tool that notified me when my software needed updating.

    What I would not do is use 3rd party firewall software... but that is just me.
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  9. Posts : 255
    win 7 64 Home edition
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Interesting, great info by the way. I do use Secunia and run scans with Superantispyware and Malwarebytes. I am currently using Avast free and it seems to be working well. I just have the Windows firewall . The network type is always public, confused about the port scan though. Can you elaborate on that? I will look into a HIPS security tool.

    Thanks so much
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 10,485
    W7 Pro SP1 64bit
       #10

    There are lots or rules in the Windows Firewall. It is okay if an app makes an outbound request and then accepts the inbound reply. It is not okay* for an app to respond to a request from the internet when the no app on the computer asked for info from the internet.

    *some software (like remote control apps) will listen for a connection from the internet - so that category of software is allowed to reply when the first communication is from the internet. Such software presents a risk.

    If a salesman knocks on your door and you do not want to talk to him, then you simply do not answer - hoping that he will move on. There is probably only one door to your dwelling that the salesman would knock on, but a computer has thousands of doors through which data can flow. A port scanner knocks on each door and waits for a reply.

    If the scanner hears a reply, then the scanner knows that there is a computer on the other side of that door. The port scanner can change modes and start poking around for weaknesses to break into the computer. It is safer to have your computer setup in a way that it simply plays dead when scanners start knocking. Your computer is safest when it never responds to unsolicited knocks at its many doors.

    There are millions port scanners running on the internet - looking for computers that will answer. Computers have complex software, hence the numerous security patches to fix various weaknesses. Routers are not that complex; so they just don't have the same number of weaknesses to be exploited.
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