Firewall and router

[MURACU]

I would view it like this : A router needs to be configured to block traffic while a firewall needs to be configured to allow traffic. You can configure the router as a firewall but it tends to result in a fairly complicated configuration on the router. Also it can complicate troubleshooting network issues. Of course at the end of the day it will depend on the resources you have a vailable and the size of your network.
Cheers
Muracu

[CyberB0b]

Software firewalls are far from useless. A software firewall is important to protect you from what is inside the network. NAT routers only protect you from what's outside. If you have an infected machine on your network or are using wifi hotspots you need a software firewall to protect you from intrusions coming from inside the LAN.

[nihil]

Hi,

As said above, but please consider this:

If you don't have it and things go wrong YOU are fired..............otherwise you did "industry standards"....

There are some on this site who might advise otherwise, from their self-perceived high and mighty positions....... I have seen them crap out in court.......... probably flipping burgers now

Sysadmin is basically middle management at best , and most know jack sh1t about management at that, at least the cutthroat nature of some of it

I can give you some case examples of your question.......... but I will leave them for the moment............

EDIT:

I realise that I probably sound somewhat defeatist, but I am a firm believer in "CYA" or "due diligence"............. whatever you like to call it.

I wouldn't like to explain to a CEO why I had decided against a firewall, when he has probably heard of those, but knows nothing about routers. It is a bit like the arguments for and against AV products.........sure, they may not do much for you, but they are an insurance policy for your job?

if the router is already closing the unnecessary ports?

That still leaves you with the issue of what traffic is allowed through the ports you need to keep open?

OK, some quality routers also act as a hardware firewall as well, and at the risk of sounding pedantic, I would describe them as combo products rather than just a router.

Some very good points were made about the "enemy within"...............typically your router and hardware firewalls are at the perimeter. You may decide to deploy internal firewalls in certain circumstances...............possibly in a school or college environment?