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Am I correct that you only need a firewall if you have DSL or cable modem? A dude like me who hooks up on the phone line, I don't need one do I? And is that because my ISP is my buffer? parsy the non-techno freeper.

Parsy: There's three reasons phone line users don't need a firewall as much as broadband users:

1) You're not connected to the Internet 24/7, you're only on for a few minutes or hours at a time.

2) People aren't going to be as interested in trying to hack someone at the end of a 56k modem line as they are someone with a 1.5 Mbit cable/DSL hookup.

3) Most dialup ISPs assign you a different internet address--a set of four numbers like 24.88.200.124--each time you dial in. Cable/DSL people have IP addresses that stay static, or change infrequently, so they're easier to find and attack.

I'm not a networking/Internet guru, I know just enough to be dangerous to myself and innocent bystanders, so your mileage may vary. :)

}:-)4

Am I correct that you only need a firewall if you have DSL or cable modem? A dude like me who hooks up on the phone line, I don't need one do I? And is that because my ISP is my buffer? parsy the non-techno freeper.

Nope. Anybody can download a trojan or catch a virus (especially if your kids use the computer). ZoneAlarm will alert you to their attempts to "phone home" so you can clean them up. So, use it even on dial-up connections - at worst, it can't hurt.

Oops, left off part of my first reply...I'd still use some kind of firewall even on a modem. I used to use Blackice Defender (decent product but not as good as ZA in my opinion) and I was surprised the amount of port scans I'd get even while using dialup. Better safe than sorry.

}:-)4

Am I correct that you only need a firewall if you have DSL or cable modem? A dude like me who hooks up on the phone line, I don't need one do I? And is that because my ISP is my buffer?

The "buffer" you get from your ISP is that you get a different IP address everytime you dial up. That doesn't make you immune but it helps. The difference is that my cable modem only gets a new address every two weeks or if I power it off. If you spend as much time hooked up and reading FR as I do, you are still vulnerable. Hackers know that an ISP only has so many IP addresses to assign. They scan through them constantly looking for one that will let them in. It's easier for them to bang away at my cable modem than it is to find you on your dial up, but if they find you, they will try to get in.

All that said, you aren't as vulnerable as someone with an always on connection, but you can't have too much protection either. Zone Alarm and Pest Patrol costs $60. A good addition to your investment in virus protection which you should already have. Download the Pest Patrol freebee and let it scan your machine. If you find something you don't like, it's easier to convince yourself you need the software.

Am I correct that you only need a firewall if you have DSL or cable modem? A dude like me who hooks up on the phone line, I don't need one do I? And is that because my ISP is my buffer? parsy the non-techno freeper.

That may have been the case a year ago, but now I'd say go ahead and get the free version.

The hackers and script kiddies like broadband because the IP numbers rarely change, making it easy to get back in touch with their compromised hosts. They love the bandwidth, allowing them to do more damage to the targets of their real attack. The hackers want to use your computer as a foot soldier in a attack on a bigger target.

Some Zombies are programmed to 'phone home' to a newsgroup for new instructions. This would defeat any security gained by having new IP numbers on dialup.

Anyone using VPN (Virtual Private Networking) or tunneling over broadband to connect with the home office, without some kind of firewall, exposes their office network to the same dangers.

Cable and DSL guys MUST have a firewall. They are always on the Net (whether using the browser or not) as long as the computer is on. But really you should firewall too. You don't know how many intrusions there are until you stop them.

A dial-up connection is less vulnerable, but still at risk.