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The best security for a cable modem user with a D-Link router
- Thread starter wxjunkie
- Start date
MedicBob
Diamond Member
I wouldn't worry about securing DHCP unless you are worried about people plugging computers in on your LAN or if you have a wireless access point set up.
Are you running NAT? Does the Dlink offer any sort of firewalling features (packet filtering for example)? Sorry, I am not familiar with that model or with any models of Dlinks that have decent firewalling capabilities.
Run a firewall on your computer. There are decent free ones available like ZoneAlarm. Avoid mcAfee as it is crap. Win2K actually has packet filtering functionality built in, but part of the point of running a firewall is to protect against Microsofts lack of security. One can get to the Built in packet filtering by going to Connection Properties->Internet Protocol, select Properties->Advanced->Options->TCP/IP Filtering, select Properties. Then one can "Enable TCP/IP Filtering (All adapters)." However, I think Micrsoft burries it because most Microsoft users don't know enough to actually configure that properly. One should read a good book about firewalling and be familiar with what ports you actually use on your computer before taking that approach. ZoneAlarm will work better (I don't know how to do program by program with Microsoft's packet filtering) with a lot less work. The non-free version of ZoneAlarm allows one to configure which ports each program can use if one is truely security paranoid.
Are you running NAT? Does the Dlink offer any sort of firewalling features (packet filtering for example)? Sorry, I am not familiar with that model or with any models of Dlinks that have decent firewalling capabilities.
Run a firewall on your computer. There are decent free ones available like ZoneAlarm. Avoid mcAfee as it is crap. Win2K actually has packet filtering functionality built in, but part of the point of running a firewall is to protect against Microsofts lack of security. One can get to the Built in packet filtering by going to Connection Properties->Internet Protocol, select Properties->Advanced->Options->TCP/IP Filtering, select Properties. Then one can "Enable TCP/IP Filtering (All adapters)." However, I think Micrsoft burries it because most Microsoft users don't know enough to actually configure that properly. One should read a good book about firewalling and be familiar with what ports you actually use on your computer before taking that approach. ZoneAlarm will work better (I don't know how to do program by program with Microsoft's packet filtering) with a lot less work. The non-free version of ZoneAlarm allows one to configure which ports each program can use if one is truely security paranoid.
To answer you first question. At the very least you should disable Print and File sharing for your network connection. Then install ZoneAlarm (free download), then look into other software firewall alternatives. If you need to use file/print sharing, only enable it when you are using it and also unbind it from TCP/IP in Advanced Network settings (and bind it only to NetBEUI). And of course you should be running some AntiVirus software (which you probably already are).
Cable/DSL security tips
DSLReports Security FAQ (also great forums for all sorts of Cable/DSL/broadband and networking questions)
As for DHCP, basically it dynamically assigns and IP address. Usually your ISP will use DHCP to assign you an external IP, which your router will automatically read and set from your ISPs DHCP server. Also, in addition to that external ISP DHCP server, most routers will also have an internal LAN DHCP, which assigns IP addresses to your local network machines. Alternatively, you can set the router to manually assign a certain IP to machines on the internal network. On my D-Link router, I have disabled the internal DHCP server, and manually assign IP addresses to each of the four machines on my network. I have also bound each of these IPs to the MAC Address #, which uniquely identifies each NIC ethernet card.
Cable/DSL security tips
DSLReports Security FAQ (also great forums for all sorts of Cable/DSL/broadband and networking questions)
As for DHCP, basically it dynamically assigns and IP address. Usually your ISP will use DHCP to assign you an external IP, which your router will automatically read and set from your ISPs DHCP server. Also, in addition to that external ISP DHCP server, most routers will also have an internal LAN DHCP, which assigns IP addresses to your local network machines. Alternatively, you can set the router to manually assign a certain IP to machines on the internal network. On my D-Link router, I have disabled the internal DHCP server, and manually assign IP addresses to each of the four machines on my network. I have also bound each of these IPs to the MAC Address #, which uniquely identifies each NIC ethernet card.
HeinekinMan
Senior member
I'm running Win2K Pro on all of my machines as you, I have three machines that share a cable modem connection through a Netgear Cable/DSL router. ATTBI, my ISP, uses DHCP so I get assigned an IP. My router is also setup for DHCP so it doles out IPs to each machine. And as one of the previous posters suggested, stay current with ANY patch or Service Pack that MS provides (Windows Update and Microsoft TechNet) and ESPECIALLY your browsers (IE, Netscape, etc).
On all of my machines I have the following configuration:
1. ZoneAlarm (free version) running mainly to control outbound traffic. Games like Elf Bowling like to connect to their websites unbeknownst to the user but they can't in my setup since I don't permit them to access the internet! Contrary to what some have said, it does not interfere with my connection speeds in any way. I've tested with ZA and without, no degradation in speeds, no side affects with any other app/game that I use on any of my machines. If you decide to use ZA make sure you d/l the latest as it contains a patch to the previous release (I had problems with the release prior).
2. I use TCP/IP for internet only and NetBEUI for my local LAN for printer/file sharing. You can check your existing network setup by right clicking on My Network Places, click Properties, Advanced, click Advanced Settings and see which protoccol is bound to what. If you're using printer/file sharing, make sure TCP/IP is NOT checked, no need for it.
3. One or two shared folders on each machine requiring a password (a REAL password!).
4. Anti Virus s/w running AT ALL TIMES! Norton AV, with the latest virus signatures (updated daily automatically).
5. Anti Trojan s/w running AT ALL TIMES! BOClean, with the latest trojan signatures (I update once a week). This is one of the BEST anti trojan programs out there in my opinion. It runs perfectly, does not interfere with any of the other apps that I have running, automatically isolates and destroys any detected trojan (easily customizable), utilizes minimal resources, only requires a single purchase and can be installed on ALL of the machines that you use legally, fantastic tech support, and less than $35.00.
Each of my machines can see each others' shared folders and the printers that I have. I don't store any data of real value on any of my machines and I have complete backups and actual HD clones of each machine in case of failure or ??
Finally, check out the following sites for testing of your configuration:
Gibson Research Shields Up! Click on Test My Shields! and Probe My Ports!
PC Flank
Good luck!
On all of my machines I have the following configuration:
1. ZoneAlarm (free version) running mainly to control outbound traffic. Games like Elf Bowling like to connect to their websites unbeknownst to the user but they can't in my setup since I don't permit them to access the internet! Contrary to what some have said, it does not interfere with my connection speeds in any way. I've tested with ZA and without, no degradation in speeds, no side affects with any other app/game that I use on any of my machines. If you decide to use ZA make sure you d/l the latest as it contains a patch to the previous release (I had problems with the release prior).
2. I use TCP/IP for internet only and NetBEUI for my local LAN for printer/file sharing. You can check your existing network setup by right clicking on My Network Places, click Properties, Advanced, click Advanced Settings and see which protoccol is bound to what. If you're using printer/file sharing, make sure TCP/IP is NOT checked, no need for it.
3. One or two shared folders on each machine requiring a password (a REAL password!).
4. Anti Virus s/w running AT ALL TIMES! Norton AV, with the latest virus signatures (updated daily automatically).
5. Anti Trojan s/w running AT ALL TIMES! BOClean, with the latest trojan signatures (I update once a week). This is one of the BEST anti trojan programs out there in my opinion. It runs perfectly, does not interfere with any of the other apps that I have running, automatically isolates and destroys any detected trojan (easily customizable), utilizes minimal resources, only requires a single purchase and can be installed on ALL of the machines that you use legally, fantastic tech support, and less than $35.00.
Each of my machines can see each others' shared folders and the printers that I have. I don't store any data of real value on any of my machines and I have complete backups and actual HD clones of each machine in case of failure or ??
Finally, check out the following sites for testing of your configuration:
Gibson Research Shields Up! Click on Test My Shields! and Probe My Ports!
PC Flank
Good luck!
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