Avast + Firewall - which one

[udidwht]

I'm running WinXP Media Center 2005 Service Pack 3 (fully updated with Avast 4.8 Home, OA Firewall (free), Win Defender, Malwarebytes, SuperAntiSpyware and SpywareBlaster. I'm behind an Airlink 101 AR430W wireless router. Is the router I'm using enough protection? Or is it advisable to use a software firewall as well. Within my router configuration under Security>Firewall it shows: Block WAn ping - Disabled and SPI Mode - Enabled. It also has a tab for VPN Passthrough the settings in it are as follows:

IPSec passthrough - Enabled
L2TP passthrough - Enabled
PPTP Passthrough - Enabled

What do these settings do?

[DPAvaster]

Are you sure that you are testing your firewalls ports or your routers ports, as I have a router on my system and all shields up is doing is testing my router not my firewall

Well, that's embarrassing!   You're right.  I disabled the software firewall and got exactly the same results from ShieldsUp!
Thanks for alerting me to this.

So I guess I only need the software firewall for stopping unauthorised outbound connections.  It's getting less and less useful....

 

[DavidR]

I don't know where you get the "It's getting less and less useful...." from, if it stops just one malicious unauthorised outbound connection it has just saved your ass, so I would say it is very useful.

Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

So any zero day or hidden infection could get past your AV so the next line of defence is your software firewall. The more layers you have to your defence the less likely it is to be breached.

[DPAvaster]

I don't know where you get the "It's getting less and less useful...." from, if it stops just one malicious unauthorised outbound connection it has just saved your ass, so I would say it is very useful.

That's true DavidR - but I said "less useful" mainly because I had just learned that 50% of the reason for me having a firewall has just gone out the window.
I can see how it's still valid to have a software layer to prevent unauthorised outbound traffic as long as it's not intrusive or bloated.