Please tell me if I need to have a SOFTWARE FIREWALL in addition to a ROUTER on my internet connecti

I have read, and been told that the use of a ROUTER is an excellent firewall. I have the Linksys WRT 54 G.

I have recently read on forums including "Y" Answers, many HIGHLY UNFAVORABLE comments about McAfee Anti-Virus products. I am considering removing McAfee from my computer, and in researching the best procedure, to do this, have discovered, I also have McAfee Personal Firewall Plus.

I've been told that using the McAfee Uninstall tool will remove ALL McAfee applications.

My SPECIFIC QUESTION IS: What is the reason to have a Software based firewall, in addition to the use of a router ? Does this enhance your security ? What are the pros and cons ?

Do you have any particular recomendations on any free personal firewalls for personal use on xp-SP2 ?

Thanks for your advice.

Please tell me if I need to have a SOFTWARE FIREWALL in addition to a ROUTER on my internet connection ?free spyware

A software firewall will have outbound application filtering. It is your last line of defense, if say a trojan somehow gets into your machine and trys to "phone-home" to the attacker.

A software firewall should alert you to this fact that a strange application is attempting to access the internet.

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An excellent free and extremely strong firewall is Comodo Personal Firewall. It can pass firewall "leak tests" that even most of the "paid-for" firewalls cannot pass.