Firewall and Security

[TyWahn]

Is it true that the OS X firewall needs to be turned off when you are using the AirPort Express ... AND .... do any of the advanced settings (Stealth, UDP blocking) have any affect if it is indeed turned off?
One more thing .. if the firewall is turned off, do opening/blocking any specific ports make any difference?

(I posted this in OSX and got 0 replies. So I figured it might be in the wrong place)

Thanks for your help as always!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

No. I've use my Airport Express for networking and AirTunes and my firewall is on.

If the firewall is off all ports are open and opening them doesn't even make sense, if it was possible. (I think System Preferences "grays the option out" when the firewall is not running.)

 

[TyWahn]

No. I've use my Airport Express for networking and AirTunes and my firewall is on.

If the firewall is off all ports are open and opening them doesn't even make sense, if it was possible. (I think System Preferences "grays the option out" when the firewall is not running.)

So does that mean that my computer would be "double" secure? Because I have the 128-bit encryptiion turned on in my AirPort Exoress Prefs.. and using WEP (I think)

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Well, the firewall and Airport encryption protects against a little different kind of things. And you should use WPA (with a long (~20) non-dictionary word password) and not WEP, and turn off SSID broadcasting and use MAC filtering. WEP is totally broken, whilst WPA is still secure for long passwords. Then you should be well protected both from intruders from internet (where the firewall should stop those getting through your router (or whatever you have to get online)) and wardrivers (from which Airport security is your first line of defense and the firewall if they find your network, spoof your MAC address and break the encryption).

 

[TyWahn]

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Well, the firewall and Airport encryption protects against a little different kind of things. And you should use WPA (with a long (~20) non-dictionary word password) and not WEP, and turn off SSID broadcasting and use MAC filtering. WEP is totally broken, whilst WPA is still secure for long passwords. Then you should be well protected both from intruders from internet (where the firewall should stop those getting through your router (or whatever you have to get online)) and wardrivers (from which Airport security is your first line of defense and the firewall if they find your network, spoof your MAC address and break the encryption).

Wow! Thanks! I am using WPA .. just couldn't remember the acronym. I do not know how to turn off SSID broadcasting and how do I use MAC filtering?
You have been a great help. I appreciate it!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I do not know how to turn off SSID broadcasting and how do I use MAC filtering?

Check out this manual from Apple, pages 23ff.