# Do I need a (second?) firewall?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 1, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865 "2003-11-01T19:04:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/1 "2003-11-01T19:04:34Z")

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I’m using a linksys wireless router (to which my computer is hardwired)… I remember reading that it acted as its own firewall.

So, do I need to install another?

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/2 "2003-11-01T22:26:19Z")

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Try [dslreports.com](http://dslreports.com)

Tool section

There you can run a test to see how secure you connection is first. Gives a free report.

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**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/3 "2003-11-01T22:35:22Z")

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Hi **dutchboy208**  
This is often a debated subject. [See here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=214906)

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**Author:** ![finn1911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@finn1911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finn1911)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/4 "2003-11-02T16:47:11Z")

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Your Linksys device will only let certain stuff through to your computer, so having a firewall is less important. However, if you want to prevent programs on your computer from talking to the internet then you might want to consider a software firewall. I think by far the biggest menace on the internet is spyware… if you don’t get a firewall then at least look into AdAware or Spybot Search and Destroy.

Honestly I think if one gets a virus scanner and some spyware removal tools they’re computing experience is far less annoying 🙂

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**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/5 "2003-11-02T23:46:45Z")

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I reccomend getting the free version of ZoneAlarm. You can tell it exactly which programs you want to access the internet, and it maintains a hash file of the programs, so if a virus spoofs an allowed programs (say by calling itself MozillaFirebird.exe) ZoneAlarm detects the change and blocks access, until you give the program permission again.

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**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-a-second-firewall/210865/6 "2003-11-03T00:13:24Z")

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I reccomend getting the free version of ZoneAlarm. You can tell it exactly which programs you want to access the internet, and it maintains a hash file of the programs, so if a virus spoofs an allowed programs (say by calling itself MozillaFirebird.exe) ZoneAlarm detects the change and blocks access, until you give the program permission again.