Is it better to sign onto my ISP through a proxy server?

[tenguzero]

I've gathered that it is more secure to connect through a proxy server, since it (masks?) your true IP address. Is that how they work? Or should I set up a firewall instead, even though I'm told that they can cause problems with programs that need to legitimately access your ports. Or maybe both!!

Any input?

Tengu0

[tenguzero]

I've gathered that it is more secure to connect through a proxy server, since it (masks?) your true IP address. Is that how they work? Or should I set up a firewall instead, even though I'm told that they can cause problems with programs that need to legitimately access your ports. Or maybe both!!

Any input?

Tengu0

[IchNiSan]

It is true that using a proxy server to connect to website, ftpsites, AIm, etc.. will hide your true IP address from people that want to |-|4><0r J00, but.. using a proxy server to connect to all these services, in no way takes away your need for a firewall....

A firewall will prevent folks from connecting directly to your machine. Just because you use a proxy server to browse the web, etc.. doesnt mean that no one can connect to your IP address and try to cause mischief.

A firewall can indeed be intrusive, and prevent you from running certain apps, however, it is worth it. And, if you figure out how to do it, it is possible to configure just about any firewall to allow just about any app you want to work... The thing you need to consider, and having to figure out how to configure your firewall gives you time to do this, is... do you really want to allow this app to bypass your firewall. Is it something that is really important to you, or, is it simply a convenience that you could easily do without, and that causes you to be exposed to too much risk.

A firewall is not simply a program or hardware device which keeps you safe.....

A firewall(configured initially in its most restrictive state) forces you to think about what you want to do on the net. Is this thing or that thing really worth the risk you incure.

Just the fact of having a firewall will not make you secure. The fact that a firewall prevents you from easily doing some things you may want to do, keeps you from doing some things that you shouldnt do.

IchNiSan

[IchNiSan]

It is true that using a proxy server to connect to website, ftpsites, AIm, etc.. will hide your true IP address from people that want to |-|4><0r J00, but.. using a proxy server to connect to all these services, in no way takes away your need for a firewall....

A firewall will prevent folks from connecting directly to your machine. Just because you use a proxy server to browse the web, etc.. doesnt mean that no one can connect to your IP address and try to cause mischief.

A firewall can indeed be intrusive, and prevent you from running certain apps, however, it is worth it. And, if you figure out how to do it, it is possible to configure just about any firewall to allow just about any app you want to work... The thing you need to consider, and having to figure out how to configure your firewall gives you time to do this, is... do you really want to allow this app to bypass your firewall. Is it something that is really important to you, or, is it simply a convenience that you could easily do without, and that causes you to be exposed to too much risk.

A firewall is not simply a program or hardware device which keeps you safe.....

A firewall(configured initially in its most restrictive state) forces you to think about what you want to do on the net. Is this thing or that thing really worth the risk you incure.

Just the fact of having a firewall will not make you secure. The fact that a firewall prevents you from easily doing some things you may want to do, keeps you from doing some things that you shouldnt do.

IchNiSan

[Shangrila]

Well I'm not sure how to connect through a proxy for everything but I connect to a proxy with my browser. Basically the proxy is like a middleman. You relay the info to the proxy and it goes to wherever and it sends it to the proxy and back to you. I would recommend using a proxy and a firewall because it is still possible to get your ip even though you have a proxy. Hope my advice helped.

[Shangrila]

Well I'm not sure how to connect through a proxy for everything but I connect to a proxy with my browser. Basically the proxy is like a middleman. You relay the info to the proxy and it goes to wherever and it sends it to the proxy and back to you. I would recommend using a proxy and a firewall because it is still possible to get your ip even though you have a proxy. Hope my advice helped.

[xmaddness]

If your looking for security then I would honestly go with both. Personally I use ZoneAlarm firewall. It seems to do the job fairly well. Although I have had some instances when it has blocked some data that I needed. Just today I was installing a new program that installed via the web. It needed to restart the comp to finish the install. Well the comp restarted and the install program tried to continue, but zonealarm blocked it. So anytime i'm doing installs and such I switch it off. Other than that it works fairly well.


You can get Zone Alarm @ www.zonelabs.com

Another popular firewall is Black Ice @ http://www.networkice.com/

As for the proxies you can find out all about them @ http://www.astalavista.com/privacy/

Hope this helps.

[xmaddness]

If your looking for security then I would honestly go with both. Personally I use ZoneAlarm firewall. It seems to do the job fairly well. Although I have had some instances when it has blocked some data that I needed. Just today I was installing a new program that installed via the web. It needed to restart the comp to finish the install. Well the comp restarted and the install program tried to continue, but zonealarm blocked it. So anytime i'm doing installs and such I switch it off. Other than that it works fairly well.


You can get Zone Alarm @ www.zonelabs.com

Another popular firewall is Black Ice @ http://www.networkice.com/

As for the proxies you can find out all about them @ http://www.astalavista.com/privacy/

Hope this helps.

[xpaciscool]

Yes Proxys, not firewalls mess up your ports. Especially with P2P progams. It dosn't matter if the proxy server "masks" your ip address. PPL will still get through that. Your best bet is getting a firewall.

They are many free ones out there. The one i reccommend is Tiny Personal firewall, www.tinysoftware.com . This firewall does not mess up your ports. I use it myself. When you run a program that accesses the internet, it pops up a box and asks you if you want to allow it to connect. You can make a "rule" which states every time a program tries to connect , the firewall allows it, so you don't have to click Yes everytime.

Basicially what a firewall does is blocks every port. So when someone tries to connect from the outside , it asks you if you want them to connect. If you don't allow someone to connect, the firewall won't let them.

Hope this helped,

[xpaciscool]

Yes Proxys, not firewalls mess up your ports. Especially with P2P progams. It dosn't matter if the proxy server "masks" your ip address. PPL will still get through that. Your best bet is getting a firewall.

They are many free ones out there. The one i reccommend is Tiny Personal firewall, www.tinysoftware.com . This firewall does not mess up your ports. I use it myself. When you run a program that accesses the internet, it pops up a box and asks you if you want to allow it to connect. You can make a "rule" which states every time a program tries to connect , the firewall allows it, so you don't have to click Yes everytime.

Basicially what a firewall does is blocks every port. So when someone tries to connect from the outside , it asks you if you want them to connect. If you don't allow someone to connect, the firewall won't let them.

Hope this helped,