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If you just set up your new Westell 7500 modem router provided by Verizon and run a firewall test like GRC's ShieldsUP!, you will most likely get a "fail" rating. This will be due to the fact that the default firewall setting of the modem router will allow Ping (ICMP Echo) requests to pass, and also that the FTP ports 20 and 21 are not in stealth mode. You could change the default firewall setting from "no security" to "medium", but this will close all kinds of ports that you normally use for benign applications and will force you in turn to open them up one by one in a rather cumbersome way.

Below are 2 easy steps to stealth your router without having to learn how to edit your router's IP tables manually (see here for a previous forum thread that looks complicated and ultimately didn't provide results).

WARNING: You still need to have a software-based firewall installed on your computer to give you actual protection! (I recommend the free Comodo Firewall Pro. It is highly-rated in independent tests.) Following changes are just the basic steps to "stealth" your router, the heavy protection needs to be provided by the software-based firewall.

Stealth FTP Ports 20 and 21
    1. When you have logged on to your router, click on the "Advanced" icon, then click on "ALG" which is on the bottom of the box on the far left.
    2. On the top line that says "FTP" remove the check mark from the box.
    3. Click apply, that's it!


Feedback received on this FAQ entry:
  • Shouldn't it be noted that a number of security experts (if not most) maintain that achieving "stealth" is unnecessary and perhaps even undesirable?

    2012-06-10 04:10:59 (Caveat See Profile)

  • To disable pings, I did the following: After step 3 (pressing the 'edit' button), I changed the Security Default to 'Deny.' Next, I added a rule (named 'NoPing'), selected 'Deny' for its Type, set the Protocol to 'ICMP type' and then put 8 in the box that appears to the right of the Protocol drop-down box. Then, I clicked Save. After doing these steps, Shields Up! reports a perfect stealth.

    2011-11-04 20:08:37



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by saschamaj6 See Profile edited by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2012-05-23 10:05:56