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<blockquote data-quote="Xyanthon" data-source="post: 3394879" data-attributes="member: 9181">Well, the way the router works to protect you is that it uses NAT (Network Address Translation).&nbsp; In other words, the interface of your router that touches the Internet (the interface plugged into the cable/DSL/etc) presents a public IP address to the rest of the Internet.&nbsp; The other computers attached to the router have a private address scheme that is not broadcast out to the rest of the world.&nbsp; So, if you were being attacked from the outside, the hacker in most cases would only see the public interface of your router.&nbsp; They would have to be able to get past your router (you didn't leave the default username/password did you?) in order to be able to play on your network.Now it certainly is possible to be able to hack into a router and take control of it, if it is secured with a good password and the like, you are probably safe.&nbsp; Remember, most &quot;hackers&quot; are like other criminals in that they are looking for an easy/opportune target.&nbsp; They don't want to wast time trying to crack into your system when there are plenty of easy targets out there.&nbsp; Another interesting thing about data protection is that approximately 80% of all data theft is accomplished by someone you know.&nbsp; So the chances are that if someone is really out to get you as opposed to an opportunistic hacker, then they will probably do it from the inside (meaning they will just hop onto your computer and install a keystroke logger).Ok, as for me, I use a Linksys router and Symantec Client Firewall (has the Antivirus built in).&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; No real reason to use both I don't guess but since I live on a U.S. Military installation in Asia, it is not a bad idea to have a higher level of protection.&nbsp; If I really wanted to make my system more secure I'd use two routers and have a firewall machine in between them.&nbsp; Thus my setup would look like:&nbsp; cable modem to router1.&nbsp; Router1 to firewall computer interface1.&nbsp; Firewall interface2 to router 2.&nbsp; Router 2 to the rest of my network.&nbsp; That is perhaps a bit more than the average home user needs but it really depends on what you are doing.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Xyanthon, post: 3394879, member: 9181"] Well, the way the router works to protect you is that it uses NAT (Network Address Translation). In other words, the interface of your router that touches the Internet (the interface plugged into the cable/DSL/etc) presents a public IP address to the rest of the Internet. The other computers attached to the router have a private address scheme that is not broadcast out to the rest of the world. So, if you were being attacked from the outside, the hacker in most cases would only see the public interface of your router. They would have to be able to get past your router (you didn't leave the default username/password did you?) in order to be able to play on your network. Now it certainly is possible to be able to hack into a router and take control of it, if it is secured with a good password and the like, you are probably safe. Remember, most "hackers" are like other criminals in that they are looking for an easy/opportune target. They don't want to wast time trying to crack into your system when there are plenty of easy targets out there. Another interesting thing about data protection is that approximately 80% of all data theft is accomplished by someone you know. So the chances are that if someone is really out to get you as opposed to an opportunistic hacker, then they will probably do it from the inside (meaning they will just hop onto your computer and install a keystroke logger). Ok, as for me, I use a Linksys router and Symantec Client Firewall (has the Antivirus built in). Why? No real reason to use both I don't guess but since I live on a U.S. Military installation in Asia, it is not a bad idea to have a higher level of protection. If I really wanted to make my system more secure I'd use two routers and have a firewall machine in between them. Thus my setup would look like: cable modem to router1. Router1 to firewall computer interface1. Firewall interface2 to router 2. Router 2 to the rest of my network. That is perhaps a bit more than the average home user needs but it really depends on what you are doing. [/QUOTE]

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