Member Avatar for fm123

:cheesy: :cheesy: Hi, all

Recently bought a DL-604 router. The question like to ask is? Can i use the router with software firewall. The router also come with firewall capability. which is better and how do i configure the router and firewall.
i am running winxp sp2.

any help is greatly appreciated.

thank..

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by dlh6213

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As asked, using the router and a software firewall together is normal and usually the safest choice. Both and pointed you in sensible directions; here is practical, no‑nonsense guidance to tie those tips together and avoid common pitfalls.

Keep both layers active: the router gives network‑level protection (blocks unsolicited inbound traffic for every device on the LAN) while a host firewall controls per‑application access and outgoing connections on each PC. On the router side, change the default admin password, disable remote/WAN admin, install any firmware updates, turn off UPnP unless you need it, avoid DMZ for everyday devices, and forward ports only to a specific internal IP when absolutely necessary. Enable any stateful packet inspection (SPI) feature if present and turn on logging so you can check what is being blocked.

On the PC side, keep the host firewall enabled, run up‑to‑date antivirus/anti‑malware, and restrict file/printer sharing to trusted (private) networks. If the machine is running an unsupported OS (for example, older Windows XP versions), consider additional host protections or upgrading—unsupported systems are at higher risk even with a router firewall in front.

Troubleshooting: if a service stops working after tightening rules, temporarily disable one firewall (briefly) to find which side is blocking traffic, then re-enable it and add a minimal, specific rule (or proper port forward) rather than opening broad access. For remote administration, prefer a VPN instead of exposing router admin ports. These steps reduce risk while keeping connectivity for the things you actually need.

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Member Avatar for ediehm

I recently set up a home network... you can used the firewall provided by windows...

Set up your router, go to network connections, right click your Local Area Network and go to properties, then go to the 'Advanced' tab... there should be a windows firewall, you can choose your settings from there.

Member Avatar for dlh6213

:cheesy: :cheesy: Hi, all

Recently bought a DL-604 router. The question like to ask is? Can i use the router with software firewall. The router also come with firewall capability. which is better and how do i configure the router and firewall.
i am running winxp sp2.

any help is greatly appreciated.

thank..

Your router should have come with instructions for configuring it, if not, their website should have a manual you can download.

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