Is 7's firewall enough?

[jsmoline]

Hello,
I was wondering if Windows 7 firewall is enough protection at default settings? I would really love to NOT use a third party firewall. Thanks,
John

 

[derekimo]

Mine works fine at default settings, but I'm sure you'll be getting a few suggestions anyway.

 

[CarlTR6]

Are you behind a router's firewall? That is the safest way to go. Windows firewall is good.

 

[jsmoline]

Yes, I'm behind a router firewall but not sure if it's configured correctly. It fails the grc leak test. Outbound I'm sure.

 

[CarlTR6]

Yes, I'm behind a router firewall but not sure if it's configured correctly. It fails the grc leak test. Outbound I'm sure.

Windows firewall is certainly OK with a firewall router. First thing to do is to secure your firewall router. What leaked in the ShieldsUp tests?

 

[jsmoline]

This is what it said. LeakTest was not prevented from connecting to the Gibson Research web server. You either have no firewall, you have deliberately allowed LeakTest to connect outbound, or (if neither of those), LeakTest has just slipped past your firewall's outbound "protection", if any.

 

[CarlTR6]

You need to beef up the settings in your router firewall. What make is your router?

 

[jsmoline]

Netopia. The only thing I can find for firewall settings is clear sailing, silent running and LANdlocked. The last one blocks everything. I have it set to silent running.

 

[Corrine]

After setting the router to silent running, did you re-run the GRC leak test?

 

[jsmoline]

Yes. Same thing happened.

 

[CarlTR6]

Is there a page to configure various setting under Silent Running? Such as stealth, disabling netbios, disabling remote management?



Your page will not look like mine; but you should find the same elements.

Did your ISP supply your router or did you purchase it? If supplied by your ISP, you might try calling their tech support to guide you in the set up. You should not be failing the Leask /Test with a firewall router properly set up.

Windows Firewall is not really easy nor intuitive to set up for outgoing. It is easy to set for incoming. If we can't get your router firewall secure, you need to look at a third party firewall.

 

[jsmoline]

Can't find any settings like that. The router was supplied by my ISP. It is a router and dsl modem in one. I'm still going to use Online Armor firewall. It seems to do the trick and passes the GRC leak test and stealth mode passes in Shields Up. I thought I could gain a little speed by using Windows firewall. It didn't seem to make much difference. Thanks for your help,
John

 

[CarlTR6]

John, you are very welcome. But I need to tell you that a hardware firewall is far superior to any software firewall. You really should try to get it setup securely. Gibson's tests should never even "see" your computer. All they should see is your router's firewall.

I, too, have a combo modem/router supplied by my ISP. Mine is a 2-Wire.

 

[HMonk]

Apart from your router setup, I just want to say that (1) I agree with you: I desire to avoid 3rd party security apps and feel more confident in doing so with MS and Win7 and, (2) I have been running Win7 with its FW exclusively and am not aware of any issues.

I think you are good to go.

Monk

 

[zzz2496]

Windows Firewall is more than enough 3rd party firewall products might have more info presented to you, but for basic/intermediate usage model, Windows Firewall is more than enough. Properly setup, it can be close to impenetrable. Accompanied with a sufficiently advanced hardware firewall, it'd make your computer bulletproof...

zzz2496

 

[CarlTR6]

Windows Firewall is more than enough 3rd party firewall products might have more info presented to you, but for basic/intermediate usage model, Windows Firewall is more than enough. Properly setup, it can be close to impenetrable. Accompanied with a sufficiently advanced hardware firewall, it'd make your computer bulletproof...

zzz2496

And therein lies his problem

 

[zzz2496]

Carl, since his question is about whether Windows firewall is enough or not, I still say that it's enough for a regular user, accompanied by a hardware firewall or not, it still provides a good defense for your computer against all those bad things out there. To have an additional hardware router is better, but for all I know - no consumer class tiny router box provides anything more than "beginner" firewall. Having said that, it is still better to have a beginner box covering you than just rely on Windows Firewall... This is getting no where, is it?

zzz2496

Ps. Carl, if you have some spare money, I suggest you to try Mikrotik - You can learn a lot about firewalls using it's software. If you want, you can try the software for free IIRC. Put it in a VM or old PC, I can show you what a "real" firewall can do.

 

[jsmoline]

If anyone is familiar with Netopia routers, I would be glad to listen. It's a 3347-02-1006L.

 

[jsmoline]

I get the inbound protection. Just can't stop outbound without third party fw.

 

[CarlTR6]

If anyone is familiar with Netopia routers, I would be glad to listen. It's a 3347-02-1006L.

I went to the Motorola website and researched your modem/router. Thank you for supplying the model. Unfortunately, this model does not provide for detailed firewall configuration. The firewall screen you posted is it.

In the Silent mode, you are completely safe from hackers and probes; however, it will not block any outbound programs on your computer. Hence it failed the leak test.

While Windows firewall is certainly adequate, it let the leak test connect back to GRC with warning you. It can be configured to block things through rules; but it is not easy to configure these rules for us non-geeks. Therefore, if it were me, I would install a third party firewall that I could easily configure to block outgoing programs. The combination will protect you all the way around.

I know there are a number of Windows firewall advocates here. But, to me, it is not worth the hassle to configure it to block outgoing connections. This is just my opinion.