MacAfee relating Home Network Security

[JagFire19]

Hey guys! I have questions regarding my home network...so lets get right to it:

I have a home network, of about 7 computers-not including xBOX-, that are linked together via Linksys router. Now I have MacAfee on my 'main computer'. Do I need to install this program on my other computers also? What I'm thinking is I do, but I was wondering if there is a way to go around this trouble by just installing it once. I was thinking that it might work because you can get into any computer by way of 'Network Administrator' from any one of the comps, then why wouldn't the protection of MacAfee just have an effect on one computer if there is a router?
Also, would the MacAfee Firewall, when installed on one computer, protect the multiple computers around the house? Thx for taking you time to read this and give a response.

[t2k2]

Ok, here's my take on it. There are alot of different ways any one of your computers could get infected. The fact that you are using a Linksys Router (I have one, and I love it!) helps since you are using it to do NAT to share the Internet Connection. This hides your local machines on your network. Look at it this way, just because you have an AV Firewall doesn't mean that you shouldn't put AV on the machines behind the router. Think of an office environment. We get alerts on people's machines all the time, and we have an AV Wall. They don't always pick it up coming into the network. For one, they don't inspect packets, only signatures of the files coming in to compare against the signature database. If it's presented in a different manner - like a file wrapped in another file (don't know for sure), it may be able to make it pass the AV Firewall. And what about virii from other sources, like a floppy disk you popped in one of your machines. The AV Firewall is not going to get that, only locally-installed AV software. You should definitely consider installing AV on all machines on your network. I hope this helps.


t2k2

[Madseel]

t2k2 has a good point about the AV Wall. My network has a router and a computer set up to act as a firewall and scans stuff that comes into my computers for viruses also. But it is true that there are other ways to get infected like t2k2 said. I put the AV program on all my computers. Its always better to be safer than sorry.