Hey, just wondering how essenital a hardware firewall is for a connection that is on most of the day (will be upwards of 12 hours as of tomorow.) Obviously I have a software firewall, but is that safe enough?

I have never owned a hardware firewall but it is never too safe to set up an additional protections. Get it if you can afford, otherwise, a software firewall will do for the time being.

I prefer a hardware firewall, although I use both. Each protects slightly differently; a hardware firewall protects the connection, while software protects the computer. If you have multiple computers, you're talking one hardware versus multiple softwares.

I never thought much about firewalls until I finally put one in... and four hours later that night, I had a report showing me that I had something like 14 probes of my computer, looking for an opening. I've not been "naked" since.

Yes a software firewall, as long as it is up to date, will provide all the protection most people will ever need.

A hardware firewall (NAT Router) is just an added level of security.

Of course, you could run every firewall known to man, but if you don't update your Windows machine with the latest security hotfixes and AV definitions, it doesn't matter.

Common sense is the best defense.

I can't remember which way you went, wired or wireless?
If wired, a hardware will protect the router from "probing" and the number of 'nodes' on the server.

If wireless, it is a MUST as it protects the signal.

Just a soft is that. It only protects files on that computer. We can never say enough about this, then there is always someone who comes along with "superior" knowledge!

I have been called a little strict in this area, but hey, I've never been down, shared, probed, or received anything I never asked for.