From: "Dave Ings" 

I've been running with a h/w only firewall for over a year now, ever since
I abandoned Norton Security. I haven't (touch wood) had any problems and
haven't felt the need to get a replacement s/w firewall. In fact with
hindsight I feel like I was p***ing a lot of money buying unneeded
insurance.

I wonder whether my experience is typical. I've encountered exactly one
virus in my entire computing career - brought home by my spouse on a
diskette - I don't do "stupid" things surfing-wise and I'm always
up to date with security patches. So the issue of a virus getting behind
the h/w firewall doesn't seem especially relevant for me.

When I've asked around at work trying to correlate who gets viruses and who
doesn't, it seems that those with children at home are often the ones
getting infected, whereas those without young children aren't.
--
Regards,
Dave Ings,
Toronto, Canada

"Gary Britt"  wrote in message
news:43f9ee11$1{at}w3....
>I can see the problem with a larger network, where I'm not so personally in
> control of the few machines behind the network.  Your point would be
> especially true with a bunch of laptops that travel outside the office and
> to home that are behind the firewall.  In my network the only laptop that
> travels is my own, but you guys do have me considering the potential
> benefits of using a software firewall.
>
> Gary
>
> "Rich Gauszka"  wrote in message
> news:43f7ffc7$1{at}w3....
>> What happens when one of the computers behind that firewall gets
>> infected?
>> It would leave the rest of them vulnerable. I'm aware of one local
>> municipality that got hit quite hard about a month ago for doing just
> that.
>> They are still putting out fires
>>
>>
>> "Gary Britt"  wrote in message
>> news:43f7fb74{at}w3....
>> > That's what I do is always run behind a hardware firewall with no
> software
>> > firewall to worry about.  It doesn't seem to be the popular position
> these
>> > days however.
>> >
>> > Gary

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