Help - Security Help Index  |  Glossary

Firewall
Enable If enabled, DoS (Denial of Service) attacks will be detected and blocked. The default is enabled. It is strongly recommended that this setting be left enabled. Note:
  • A DoS attack does not attempt to steal data or damage your PCs, but overloads your Internet connection so you can not use it - the service is unavailable.
  • This device uses "Stateful Inspection" technology. This system can detect situations where individual TCP/IP packets are valid, but collectively they become a DoS attack.
Threshold This setting affects the number of "half-open" connections allowed.
  • A "half-open" connection arises when a remote client contacts the Server with a connection request, but then does not reply to the Server's response.
  • While the optimum number of "half-open" connections allowed (the "Threshold") depends on many factors, the most important factor is the available bandwidth of your Internet connection.
  • Select the setting to match the bandwidth of your Internet connection.

Options
Respond to ICMP The ICMP protocol is used by the "ping" and "traceroute" programs, and by network monitoring and diagnostic programs.
  • If checked, the Broadband Router will repond to ICMP packets received from the Internet.
  • If not checked, ICMP packets from the Internet will be ignored. Disabling this option provides a slight increase in security.
Allow IPsec The IPSec protocol is used to establish a secure connection, and is widely used by VPN (Virtual Private Networking) programs.
  • If checked, IPSec connections are allowed.
  • If not checked, IPSec connections are blocked.
Allow PPTP PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol) is widely used by VPN (Virtual Private Networking) programs.
  • If checked, PPTP connections are allowed.
  • If not checked, PPTP connections are blocked.
Allow L2TP L2TP is a protocol developed by Cisco for VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).
  • If checked, L2TP connections are allowed.
  • If not checked, L2TP connections are blocked.