The Differences and Features of Hardware & Software Firewalls

[Sadhan]

The Differences and Features of Hardware &
Software Firewalls

**************************************************************************

Hardware
Firewalls

************************

Hardware firewalls can be purchased as a stand-alone product but more
recently hardware firewalls are typically found in broadband routers,
and should be considered an important part of your system and network
set-up, especially for anyone on a broadband connection. Hardware
firewalls can be effective with little or no configuration, and they
can protect every machine on a local network. Most hardware firewalls
will have a minimum of four network ports to connect other computers,
but for larger networks, business networking firewall solutions are
available.

A hardware firewall uses packet filtering to examine the header of a
packet to determine its source and destination. This information is
compared to a set of predefined or user-created rules that determine
whether the packet is to be forwarded or dropped.

As with any electronic equipment, a computer user with general
computer knowledge can plug in a firewall, adjust a few settings and
have it work. To ensure that your firewall is configured for optimal
security and protect however, consumers will no doubt need to learn
the specific features of their hardware firewall, how to enable them,
and how to test the firewall to ensure its doing a good job of
protecting your network.

Not all firewalls are created equal, and to this end it is important
to read the manual and documentation that comes with your product.
Additionally the manufacturer's Web site will usually provide a
knowledgebase or FAQ to help you get started. If the terminology is a
bit too tech-oriented, you can also use the Webopedia search to help
you get a better understanding of some of the tech and computer terms
you will encounter while setting up your hardware firewall.

To test your hardware firewall security, you can purchase third-party
test software or search the Internet for a free online-based firewall
testing service. Firewall testing is an important part of maintenance
to ensure your system is always configured for optimal protection.

Software
Firewalls

***************************

For individual home users, the most popular firewall choice is a
software firewall. Software firewalls are installed on your computer
(like any software) and you can customize it; allowing you some
control over its function and protection features. A software firewall
will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain
access your computer, and, depending on your choice of software
firewall, it could also provide protection against the most common
Trojan programs or e-mail worms. Many software firewalls have user
defined controls for setting up safe file and printer sharing and to
block unsafe applications from running on your system. Additionally,
software firewalls may also incorporate privacy controls, web
filtering and more. The downside to software firewalls is that they
will only protect the computer they are installed on, not a network,
so each computer will need to have a software firewall installed on
it.

Like hardware firewalls there is a vast number of software firewalls
to choose from. To get started you may wish to read reviews of
software firewalls and search out the product Web site to glean some
information first. Because your software firewall will always be
running on your computer, you should make note of the system resources
it will require to run and any incompatibilities with your operating
system. A good software firewall will run in the background on your
system and use only a small amount of system resources. It is
important to monitor a software firewall once installed and to
download any updates available from the developer.

The differences between a software and hardware firewall are vast, and
the best protection for your computer and network is to use both, as
each offers different but much-needed security features and benefits.
Updating your firewall and your operating system is essential to
maintaining optimal protection, as is testing your firewall to ensure
it is connected and working correctly.