Belkin Router Questions

[zc1]

Hi,

I have setup a Belkin High Speed Mode Wireless G Router and have a few questions.

1. I have setup a network key, so does that mean any computer trying to access the router/net etc... need to know the network key before the router will allow access ?

2. I noticed the firewall on the router is block a 10.xxx.xxx.xxx IP what I take is a NTL IP address is this ok ? If not how do I go about telling the router to allow it as I can't see it in the manual ?

3. As the router has a firewall, do I also need to run a firewall on each PC ?

Thank you for your time

Regards,
Garry

[Wicked_and_Crazy]

1. Yes, so it can encrypt/decrypt the network traffic

2. Thats fine

3. You can if you want to monitor whats going out onto the internet as the hardware firewall wont tell you this. However i dont do this

[Aragorn]

Garry,

1. Assuming you mean a WEP (or WPA) key, this protects the wireless network, and yes anyone connecting to your wireless will need to have that key. Read this thread for more wireless security tips.

2. You don't need to explicitly let anything in through the router firewall - unless you want to host a web/ftp server (not strictly allowed by most ISP's). Just ignore it.

3. Depends how paranoid you are personally I have a software firewall on each PC as well as my router firewall. If someone gets through the router they still haven't got in to the computers and also most software firewalls will prevent or alert you to new outgoing connections. If you're running XP SP2, the Windows firewall should be fine.