Router firewall

Basically, a router firewall is a type of physical device, projected to connect one or more computers to a network. Usually, a router is not expensive and is capable to split a network cable into an internal small network. From exterior, a hacker is able to view a single computer, with a firewall installed.

In fact, the router acts like a hardware firewall and stop the attacks to the open ports. Routers firewalls are not expensive and does a very good job if your computer security is a risk. With a single router firewall, you can protect from the hackers a lot of computers localized in the network between router.

Another good thing at router firewalls is the compatibility with all operating systems. For example, if in the network connected to the internet, through the router, are a lot of computers, all will be protected. If suppose the one it has Windows XP installed, another one it has, Vista or Windows 7, and the last it has a distribution of Linux, all these computers will be protected by the router firewall.

All these things are possible because of using of NAT protocol by the router. This network protocol is able to allows a lot of PC’s connected to a network of an Internet connection, with just one IP visible from the outside. This is the reason because this type of connection is called NAT firewall. However, the router is able to send different information from the Internet to the Intranet (the internal network) without loss of data. All the Intranet requests are automatically directed through it’s ports and the connections are usually very safe.

Usually, the routers are not projected to be a firewall, but are good devices able to protect computer users from the most network attacks. The router firewalls represents a good security solution against hackers but are not always the most secure solution for this problem.

A weak point to a router firewall is the possibility to attack from the interior of the Intranet. This thing is possible when the router it has wireless capabilities and the network is not correctly protected by the administrator. A weak password or non secured connections make possible problems like intrusion of the hackers in the Intranet and to the computers from the network. However, this type of access is able to be performed from very short distance, represented by the range of the wireless network.

We recommend you to use in the same time a connection to the Internet through a firewall router and a software solution, represented by an usual firewall program.