Dsl Firewall

[ErikW]

I need a clue on how to set up a firewall on my Mac now that I've got DSL. (Or do I really even need a firewall?) Hints or resources?

[kimel]

It all depends on how your DSL is set up. If your DSL comes in to a router and you are using a non-routable IP address behind it (like 192.168.xxx.xxx) then you are relatively safe. No one can really "see" you on the outside. On the other hand, I am a belt and suspenders type guy. If you aren't on a router and even think you might want more than one computer on the network then go get a router and drop in and sit everything behind it. Better safe than sorry.

I am sure there are some Mac software firewall packages out there but no clue as to what they are. I expunged the last Mac from my user base 4 years ago and now refuse to allow them (yes, I have been accused of being Attilla the Hun, the weird nephew of Hitler, and all manner of other things). There are several good ones for Windows but not sure about Mac. You might check ZoneAlarm, BlackIce and Symantec. They might just make one for Mac.

Hacks against the Mac aren't nearly as plentiful as hacks vs Windows or Linux/Unix but they are out there. If you are running Mac OS X then you really are running Free BSD style Unix (more-or-less) and so may be more vulnerable than the older Mac OSes.

Hope that was at least of a little bit of help.

[ErikW]

I'm relatively safe without ActiveX controls and all the Microshaft security holes, but I don't know what I don't know. The Mas OC 9 Internet control panel has a whole category of firewall options; I just don't know how to configure it.

[EricW]

There's no way I'd be on a high-speed anything without a *hardware* router/firewall on the front of my network. Back when I had broadband cable, my network got POUNDED 24/7 by hackers. All day, every day, there they were, trying to break in. I have a D-Link that cost all of 50 bucks on sale at Office Depot. Runs like a champ. Super simple setup. If *I* can make it work, you can in 1/2 the time.

[JT Johnson]

Regardless of whether or not you can find a good software firewall for your Mac I would recommend getting a Linksys/D-link type router. I'm not sure what services run on Mac by default, but I wouldn't leave a Mac, win98, win2k, or xp machine exposed unless you really want to do some research and stay up on vulnerabilities.

If you decide to go the Linksys/D-link route spend sometime on learning what each option does. You'll want to change the default password and turn remote logging off for example. Basic home networking isn't that hard to figure out. The main thing you want to do is to protect yourself from attackers that are looking for easy targets so they move on to easier prey.

Josh

[Mistral404]

I don't know much about the technical side of the firewall and no experience with MACs. I have one from Norton on one computer and MaAfee on another. I run all of them through AOL DSL.

Norton and AOL do not play nicely together!! I have had more problems with Norton. The documentation was nil. Directions to the documentation on-line did not exist. After about 10 days of use Norton decided it would not even let me log onto AOL. Then I could not play AOL Radio without turning off the firewall.

Finally after a couple of emails and phone calls Norton and AOL are playing better but still there are problems.

I have used Norton stuff in the past and was very happy with them but their Internet Security application and I are not communicating well.

MaAfee has been working great on my other systems.

Personally, I believe my Norton problems are "me" related. I must be mis-reading stuff because I am still having problems with it.

[wide45]

OS X has a firewall built in. I think you can activate it from one of the control panels.

I have been running OS 8/9 with a cable modem for 3 years or so, sans firewall without problem. I suspect I'm getting pinged a lot, but have not seen signs of sinister activity. It helps that I'm not looking very hard.

[wide45]

I don't believe OS 9 has a firewall built in. I think the firewall settings, are for working with a firewall external to the system software. I have not a clue how to set that up.

[shred]

2nd the hardware firewall recommendation. If you're behind a NAT gateway, the gateway will probably handle it OK, but it's still cheap insurance. If you think you might want 802.11 wireless, let me know-- there are another host of security settings you'll need to turn on.

[BigDave]

Does it matter any if you have a static or dynamic IP? I ask b/c I'm about to step into DSL.

[vincent]

Not sure how technical you are but a pretty simple Linux firewall product is fwfloppy.

http://www.zelow.no/floppyfw/index.html

It is a complete statefull Linux firewall that runs from a single floppy disk on an old PC - no harddrive or CD-ROM needed. I built a home FW from an old 486 that was acting as a door stop (free) and 2 old ISA ethernet cards at a parts store bargain bin for $5. The common D-Link and LinkSys broadband router/firewalls are not statefull and are pretty limited in features. floppyfw is a much better solution.

If anyone is interested I can post my configuration file(s) and installation notes.

-Vincent

[SAB]

Does it matter any if you have a static or dynamic IP? I ask b/c I'm about to step into DSL.

It doesn't matter much whether the IP is static or dynamic with DSL because your dynamic address won't change as frequently as it does with dial-up. With DSL (dynamic or static IP), you'll have an IP address long enough for a hacker to find you.

SAB

[benos]

I run all my Macs (OS 9) behind a SMC barricade router (which has a built in firewall). I can't remember where now, maybe it was dslreports.com, but after installing the router I went there and they'd simulate a "hack attempt" on your machine. I did it several different times, on different dates, and each time it said I was "completely safe." Is that "really safe"? Well, I have no clue...

be