External IP address

My friend that I know over the internet is pretty damn good with computers, and he knows my external IP address because I signed up to his forums. He claims he can do a number of things with this, such as run a DOS attack on my computer. I had always been under the influence that nothing could be done with the external IP address. He doesn't claim he WILL do anything harmful to my PC, but he jokes that he could. I want to know if he really can get into my computer or damage my computer with a virus just by knowing my external IP address, and what I can do to prevent it. All responses are appreciated!

 

Eerytime your computer talks to ANYTHING on the Internet, the other end of the connection "knows" your ip address. This is required for the communication to work. It looks like you are on a high speed connection, if so you liekly have a DHCP address, and rebooting your modem/router will usually give you a new address.

The #1 security device a home user can get is a NAT router, available for $100.00 at WalMart or other places. It acts as a rudematary firewall, but is pretty good for blocking inbound connections.

 

Have had real good luck with D-Link devices.
They offer the biggest bang for the buck IMO and they just keep working.
Can't say the same for other 'name'/ 'no name' brands.
BTW, I don't run a software firewall.

Have used both NAT routers
DI-604 wired
DI-524 both wired/ wireless

Check Best Buy/ Circuit City...... have seen'em as low as $30 after mail in rebates.

 

oh noes!!!!111! dos attacks, real computer whiz. just run norton and set up another firewall with your wireless/wired router.

 

I have a Linksys wired router, and Linksys routers supposedly have firewalls on them. I have the standard firewall with Windows XP Package 2 and Nortan Anti-virus. It sounds like I'm safe.

Thanks guys.

 

I had the same as andcrs2. But when I had Norton it seems like I was attacked once week. So I change to PC-Cillin. I have had no issue yet. Nothing will realy stop a good hacker. All you can do is stop those that wanna be.

 

The only s/w protection apps I run are all free for personal use.

• Grisoft AVG (free) antivirus
• Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal (detection only)
• Spybot Search & Destroy (including Resident SDHelper and TeaTimer)
• Spywareblaster
• Mozilla Firefox browser (currently v1.5.0.4)

Everything is manually updated (checked) at least weekly
except AVG which has daily updates.

Typical for all PCs.
w2k sp4 fully duct taped.
No xp virus found round here...




Stopped using Norton (symantec) several years ago except for NU Windoc - it does a pretty good job of cleaning up after m$ win/ ActiveX updates...

 

hahahahahaha!!!!!!!! a DOS attack. is that what he called it? lol, sounds like the only hacking trick he knows is how to write a ".bat" script. i was doing that in first grade. if he attacked you with what he calls a "dos attack", first you would have to download this script, then you would have to execute it as a dos command.

FORMAT C:

if he was a real "hacker/cracker" er w/e he prob wouldnt call it a dos attack. he would use terminology like "telnet" or "ssh" or "jack the ripper". there are others, but you get the picture.

just remember good ole port 139. then you'll see me at 127.0.0.1.