"Ian Roberts" wrote in message
news:ctrhj4$7hl$1@ngspool-d02.news.aol.com...
> Hi
>
> I'm a bit confused why some ADSL routers and WAP's (all with built in
> hardware firewall) come supplied with software firewall CD's.
>
> I got the impression that hardware firewalls are considered superior to
> software firewalls so I wondered why the manufacturers bundle these disks.
>
> Maybe they get revenue from the software company but to me it suggests the
> built in firewall isnt good enough and its best to install the software.
>
> I'd be interested in your views on this.
>
> Thanks
>
> Ian
>

Devices like you describe $50 to $200 can barely be classed as firewalls.
They do little but hide your private IP address behind a NAT boundary so
that connections to your public IP don't make it to your system. They
allow all outbound traffic types.

Software firewalls contain rules for allowing or denying specific types of
traffic on your PC in consideration of your normal activities. This is
useful to prevent outgoing traffic (trojans, viruses) as well as preventing
unwanted inbound traffic. However software firewalls can be misconfigured,
crashed, hacked, and can sometimes cause undesired effects on your system
since they must run as a TSR.

A proper hardware firewall costs more like $500 (and up) and has complete
traffic filtering capabilities just like a software firewall does. It can
recognize and drop most types of anomolous traffic whether it comes from
inside or outside, and can't be hacked or compromised. They generally also
have additional functionality like VPN termination, Virtual Server or DMZ
configuration, event logs, AntiVirus. Some even do Intrusion Detection,
content filtering, and more. But nothing is expected of the computers
behind it, they just go through it.

-Russ.