Hi, my PC is connected via a LAN cable to my broadband adsl modem router. Said router has a hardware firewall in which I can set a policy to deny all incoming ports. When I do this, obviously I loose internet connection or should I say the ability to view web pages, my actual connection doesn't drop. Anyway, I believe HTTP uses TCP 80 right?! So I configured a second policy to allow TCP port 80 but I'm still not able to view web pages, are there other ports I need to open? Apologies for the newbie question...

It depends on whether your firewall is stateful firewall. If it's stateful firewall, then you can just allow outgoing traffic (from home network to Internet) on TCP port 80, so that you can access to Internet website. If not, try to allow outgoing and incoming traffic to TCP port 80 on firewall. You should also allow TCP port 443, so that you can access to those "https" website with encryption. Try different settings and test with it, not that difficult. Good luck. :o)

Why do you want to use the hardware firewall? A software firewall would be more user freindly to setup and update.., in the home enviroment, anyway. Dependin on what you connect to or through, there could be loads of ports to open up!! If you want to get into looking at port activity get "wireshark" tekmat

It might be that your isp requires you to log on? Did you set the router to act as the connection point or how do you connect? I think the router may offer faster network but that is a guess. I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you peanut.

Hi all, thanks for the replies. Yeah jefro, the router is the connection point, and mattek, I'm just doing it for a bit of experimenting really, on the router both the outbound policy and inbound policy are set to allow all ports from any ip to any ip so I just thought I'd try and be super secure by denying all inbound ports except those necessary for web browsing, the outbound policy will remain at allowing all out.