firewall/router question

WPA has nothing to do with this, WPA being the encryption used for the
wireless link between your system(s) and the router. What is a factor is
that the router is no doubt using NAT, Network Address Translation. What
this means is that the router, facing the internet is using one IP
(network address) whereas on the private side it is using another, usually
in the range 192.168.x.x, with your connected systems also using addresses
in the private 192.168.x.x range. External traffic hits the router and is
only routed to your internal PC(s) when the incoming packets are in
response to requests you have made (assuming you aren't running a server).
In other words all the nasties are knocking at the door of the router and
going no where.

It is for this reason that many of us have long recommended the use of a
router even if the user only has the one system. Routers with NAT are
invariably better than most firewalls at blocking intrusions and at the
same time relieve the load on the local system. Not that running a
firewall on your system doesn't have benefits as it allows you some
control over what goes _out_ rather than comes in however when it comes to
nasties, if they are stopped on the way out this means you are already
compromised, perhaps as a result of opening an attachment in an e-mail or
visiting a malicious web site. However not everything wanting to call home
is necessarily malicious, sometimes simply unwanted, such as happens with
many legitimate applications and operating systems.
--
Mike Maltby
mike.maltby.DeleteThis@gmail.com



richard <rmk.DeleteThis@wonderland.net> wrote:

> Ever since I set up a wireless router, Zone Alarm has not recorded one
> attempted intrusion. Prior to the router, there were usually dozens.
> Is the router's security/encryption (WPA) blocking the intrusions
> before they get to Zone Alarm??
>
> tia

Hi Mike,
I don't know much about these things, but let me ask a question. When I
go to one of the sites that finds one's IP address, it finds mine,
always the same. How can it do that if the router is sending out another IP.

My setup is simple: cable into modem, modem into router, router into my
PC. I am using a LinkSys wrt54gl. Have I set up the router incorrectly
perhaps?

Thanks

Mike M wrote:
> WPA has nothing to do with this, WPA being the encryption used for the
> wireless link between your system(s) and the router. What is a factor
> is that the router is no doubt using NAT, Network Address Translation.
> What this means is that the router, facing the internet is using one IP
> (network address) whereas on the private side it is using another,
> usually in the range 192.168.x.x, with your connected systems also using
> addresses in the private 192.168.x.x range. External traffic hits the
> router and is only routed to your internal PC(s) when the incoming
> packets are in response to requests you have made (assuming you aren't
> running a server). In other words all the nasties are knocking at the
> door of the router and going no where.
>
> It is for this reason that many of us have long recommended the use of a
> router even if the user only has the one system. Routers with NAT are
> invariably better than most firewalls at blocking intrusions and at the
> same time relieve the load on the local system. Not that running a
> firewall on your system doesn't have benefits as it allows you some
> control over what goes _out_ rather than comes in however when it comes
> to nasties, if they are stopped on the way out this means you are
> already compromised, perhaps as a result of opening an attachment in an
> e-mail or visiting a malicious web site. However not everything wanting
> to call home is necessarily malicious, sometimes simply unwanted, such
> as happens with many legitimate applications and operating systems.

PS--when I checked my IP via ipconfig, the number began 192.168. The IP
that is always returned the same via the Find My IP sites begins 67.172.
Perhaps those numbers will help you to explain what I am asking.
Thanks

richard wrote:
> Hi Mike,
> I don't know much about these things, but let me ask a question. When I
> go to one of the sites that finds one's IP address, it finds mine,
> always the same. How can it do that if the router is sending out another
> IP.
>
> My setup is simple: cable into modem, modem into router, router into my
> PC. I am using a LinkSys wrt54gl. Have I set up the router incorrectly
> perhaps?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike M wrote:
>> WPA has nothing to do with this, WPA being the encryption used for the
>> wireless link between your system(s) and the router. What is a factor
>> is that the router is no doubt using NAT, Network Address
>> Translation. What this means is that the router, facing the internet
>> is using one IP (network address) whereas on the private side it is
>> using another, usually in the range 192.168.x.x, with your connected
>> systems also using addresses in the private 192.168.x.x range.
>> External traffic hits the router and is only routed to your internal
>> PC(s) when the incoming packets are in response to requests you have
>> made (assuming you aren't running a server). In other words all the
>> nasties are knocking at the door of the router and going no where.
>>
>> It is for this reason that many of us have long recommended the use of
>> a router even if the user only has the one system. Routers with NAT
>> are invariably better than most firewalls at blocking intrusions and
>> at the same time relieve the load on the local system. Not that
>> running a firewall on your system doesn't have benefits as it allows
>> you some control over what goes _out_ rather than comes in however
>> when it comes to nasties, if they are stopped on the way out this
>> means you are already compromised, perhaps as a result of opening an
>> attachment in an e-mail or visiting a malicious web site. However not
>> everything wanting to call home is necessarily malicious, sometimes
>> simply unwanted, such as happens with many legitimate applications and
>> operating systems.

From: "richard" <rmk DeleteThis @wonderland.net>

| Hi Mike,
| I don't know much about these things, but let me ask a question. When I
| go to one of the sites that finds one's IP address, it finds mine,
| always the same. How can it do that if the router is sending out another IP.

| My setup is simple: cable into modem, modem into router, router into my
| PC. I am using a LinkSys wrt54gl. Have I set up the router incorrectly
| perhaps?

| Thanks


You have two IP addresses. One on the LAN side of the Router and one on the Internet
(WAN) side of the Router.

The translation between WAN and LAN addreses is what the Router does. This is the nature
of of NAT as well.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:%231QiJGcKJHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>
> You have two IP addresses. One on the LAN side of the Router and one
> on the Internet (WAN) side of the Router.
>
> The translation between WAN and LAN addreses is what the Router does.
> This is the nature of of NAT as well.
>
I shall have to pick your collective brains later. I still have that
blasted D-Link Wireless router sitting here NOT connected up. I don't
have one clue on this piece of junk and need to put it on before Elayne
comes. I did manage to get it working 2 Christmases ago, but don't know
how. It is a model DI-764, I believe.

Night.....root canal in the morning......wahhhhhh!!

Figgs

From: "Heather" <figgyd.TakeThisOut@nospam.invalid>



| I shall have to pick your collective brains later. I still have that
| blasted D-Link Wireless router sitting here NOT connected up. I don't
| have one clue on this piece of junk and need to put it on before Elayne
| comes. I did manage to get it working 2 Christmases ago, but don't know
| how. It is a model DI-764, I believe.

| Night.....root canal in the morning......wahhhhhh!!

| Figgs


You can pick my brain (all 2 cells left) however you can't pick my nose.


--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp