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aquadark: If you don't have a firewall, sooner or later, you will probably have a problem. Software or Hardware, either one will work. The software firewall will take a little bit more to configure, but would be fine AS LONG AS it is configured properly. If it is not configured properly, it does NO GOOD. There are also quite a few good free software firewalls out there also.

  Fowen said:
aquadark: If you don't have a firewall, sooner or later, you will probably have a problem. Software or Hardware, either one will work. The software firewall will take a little bit more to configure, but would be fine AS LONG AS it is configured properly. If it is not configured properly, it does NO GOOD. There are also quite a few good free software firewalls out there also.

I work in Tech Support.

One could also say it the other way:

If you have a firewall, sooner or later, you will probably have a problem. Software or Hardware, either one will break. The software firewall will take a little bit more to configure, but would be fine AS LONG AS it is configured properly. If it is not configured properly, it does NO GOOD AND CAN BLOCK YOU FROM GETTING ON THE INTERNET IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON. There are also quite a few good free software firewalls out there also that can break your Internet connection.

You'd be surprised how many customers I talk to on dial-up connections who DON'T EVEN KNOW they HAVE a firewall, and don't understand why they can't go anywhere on the Internet. They get connected, but can't get to any websites. Unfortunately, since they don't know they have a firewall, they don't know how they broke it. And since they don't know how they broke it, they don't know how to fix it. And since they don't know how to fix it, the only way to get it to work is to remove it completely. Turning it off or disabling it doesn't usually do anything due to the default security settings in most firewall programs.

I'm not saying it's not a good idea. I'm saying that education is needed. Don't just tell someone they need a firewall unless you're going to send them a link that explains WHy they need a firewall and what it does. Knowledge is the only way to keep people from being stupid.

Fowen, I am experianced user with i-net connection since 1997 and actually, I never ever had and I don't want to have a firewall - I don't even understand what some people are trying to hide behind their firewalls, especially in the USA - if someone wants your personal info, accounts, etc. he will, sooner or later, get them. The only point, which I see, in running a firewall is the possibility to block programs from sending data... Anyway. It's just my point of view.

I don't have another pc here and I can't check if it is software or hardware problem. I will probably call the tech support tomorrow.

CubanPete - you are right, there is no problem but one month ago I was able to ping and tracert servers...

A firewall will do a lot more then block programs from sending information. I do not see how someone can really find too much about you (personal information) through your PC. They may be able to get your name, and depending on what word documents you have some other stuff, but that is not why I have a firewall.

For one, I did not have to worry about the blaster viruses because my firewall stopped then from even getting in. I currently have a sonic wall soho3, and it logs all of the attacks (most of them just someone trying to plant a Trojan on the PC) and I get about 12 - 30 a day. Without that firewall, I would be screwed. If you have had luck on a high-speed Internet connection since 1997 and haven?t had any problems, that?s great.... but I wouldn't want to risk it.

Do a file search on your pc for a file named lmhosts.sam and delete it and see if that works.

Also try doing a full scan with ad aware or sbybot search and destroy, maybe you have some spyware with one of thier alternate dns name resolution type BS.

Edit: NM this post I was stupid and wasn't paying attention you can still get evrywhere you just can't ping, so it has nothing to do with what I suggested above.

  aquadark said:
Fowen, I am experianced user with i-net connection since 1997 and actually, I never ever had and I don't want to have a firewall - I don't even understand what some people are trying to hide behind their firewalls, especially in the USA - if someone wants your personal info, accounts, etc. he will, sooner or later, get them. The only point, which I see, in running a firewall is the possibility to block programs from sending data... Anyway. It's just my point of view.

a firewall protects you and your pc. It protects you so that no one will find any personal information about you (sure if people really want to find out about you they can go dumpster diving if they really wanted to). It protects your pc from be a zombie in ddos attacks or dishing out worms/viri. Your machine could be hacked and turnned into a warez ftp/web site without you knowing. There is some much that can be done to an unprotected/unpatched pc.....

"Without that firewall, I would be screwed. If you have had luck on a high-speed Internet connection since 1997 and haven?t had any problems, that?s great...."

Well 1997-1999 56.6k Dial-UP 1999-present cable (512 international, 2048 local (country-peering))

Not a single virus, few old-as-hell trojans (from old (95-96) russian warez cds, :)l :))... I don't recall anything else. So:)y :)

  Quote
you cant ping but you can acess them through a browser? why you worried about pinging

Cause sometimes I need pinging and it's strange, cause earlier it was working fine.\

Anyway, it's just my point of view - save your ti:). :)

  irasnyd said:
If you've got adelphia's cable internet service, then don't worry about the fact that you can't ping. They decided to disable ougoing ICMP because of one of the recent window's viruses.

Ira

Uhm, never even heard of them - I live in eastern Europe ;)

Did you try resetting your modem? Alot of people have been having this issue lately, most likely something your cable company did. Atleast with comcast, a reset (removed power) of the modem fixed the issue.

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