Broadband Quality Monitor question...

[gyruss]

I've seen some instances on these forums where folk are using a useful utility for monitoring their internet connection using a service from 'think broadband'.

It looks jolly nice n all that, but when i went to see how it likes routers to be configured, i started getting some instant bad feelings about what it needs enabling in order for it to work.

respond to ping on internet wan port

Surely by enabling this, however innocent the reason, is also exposing your realIP to the internet as your router will then be responding to icmp pings to potential hackers sweeping an ip range looking for suitable successful responses?

Anyone else dubious about enabling such an option or am I really being paranoid?

[Bill]

respond to ping on internet wan port

Surely by enabling this, however innocent the reason, is also exposing your realIP to the internet

You expose your IP to the internet the instant you connect any other site, and also to every other computer between you and tha one you're connecting to.

In theory there is a risk in enabling ping response, but in practice it's minimal and it's what your firewall is for!

Malicious websites are far more of a threat as you effectively invite them through your firewall, and with the best will in the world it's easy to inadvertently visit one by (eg) mis-typing an address. Did you realise for example, that www.microsof.com is a valid URL? As it happens that one is registered to Microsoft so it's not a problem, but you see the point I hope.

Go ahead and use the BQM, its usefulness far outweighs the tiny risk involved.

[Steve]

I know the router I use (and I think Bill as well) will always repond to a ping request on a wan port and it's impossible to turn off that response. But I do know my machines sitting behind it are hidden.

[Bill]

I hadn't noticed that you can't turn it off!