Router? Firewall yes or no?

[Gerrard]

I was reading on this forum that people were saying you didn't need a firewall if using a router (I'm using a Netgear).

So, how many people just don't bother and do you think it's still necessary to have a firewall?

It would be nice to have one less thing running but I've found lots of nosey applications trying to connect outwards (everything from Adobe, MSWord, Nero and numerous Windows XP things). And for the PC experts, just how good is a firewall that's built into my router and how come every PC doesn't have it?

Thanks for the comments! :)

[movaado]

A router only stops incoming connections.

If you're worried about outgoing connections on your PC, you need a software firewall

[ian turner]

Only stops incoming connections by default. But to stop outgoing connections would involve creating a lot of rules to allow permitted stuff to get access to the web.
Hardware firewalls are not built into PCs as that would increase the cost and you hardly need one in a pc thats going to end up in a LAN plus it makes more sense to build it into the modem and 56k modems lack the power to carry out such tasks

[Tenex]

Only stops incoming connections by default. But to stop outgoing connections would involve creating a lot of rules to allow permitted stuff to get access to the web.
Kerio stops BOTH by default. Creating a rule is as simple as clicking twice to permit a connection.