Interesting article on firewalls at the link below.

Link

Quote:
"Users who still prefer a firewall should first check whether they are using a router with firewall functionality. If so, then no firewall is needed, including the one build in to Windows XP, reports PC Professionell."

I don't agree with the quote as even though I have a hardware firewall I still need Netveda to stop MS programs phoning home.

When I got my first router I quit using software firewalls all together. I had a hard time finding one that I liked and didn't take lots of resources. I do run netveda now without any problems and I'm glad I do but to be honest I don't feel any more secure now then I did before. I guess it is good that if anything got past my AV it wouldn't be able to connect to the internet but I haven't had viruses/spyware in a long time.

Yeh,I sorta know what you mean Rridgely.

Had a H/W firewall for a while now and ran without a softwall for while including no realtime AV as I browse through Sandboxie.

Even though I know I'm quite safe it's just that funny feeling not seeing that AV and firewall icons in the taskbar.

Must be a psyhcological (hard to spell that word) thing as I feel more comfortable seeing those icons there.

Netveda is going OK but I am going to try out a few more.

Well hardware firewall is good because software firewall can often be disabled or circumvented, etc.

Endian Firewall is what I use and it runs good. There is the link if anyone is interested:

http://www.efw.it

It has alot of good features like scanning email for viruses/spam. It also has a content filter, http virus scanner. Proxying dns & web.

btw it also has an outbound firewall too. Pretty sweet in closing off those proggies that like to phone home!

Those proggies that like to phone home shouldn't be in your computer in the first place.