Quote:
Originally Posted by
chemicalfan 
Quote:
Originally Posted by
darthjoe229
I'm just gonna assume you're kidding there
Err, no......
I was talking from a home user behind an NAT router - I like the fact that it provides a hardware firewall.
NAT isn't just about sparing public IP addresses, it has many other uses & advantages
Not really. There's nothing NATs really provide that can't be covered by standard firewalls and IPSecv6. They do nothing to prevent internal attacks, you'll still need a firewall anyways. In my opinion the biggest drawback they have is prolonging the lifetime of IPv4, which has turned into a patchwork protocol struggling to keep up with the modern demands of cyberspace. While I won't deny they offer some security from outside attacks, it just isn't worth it. And I'd like to see some of your "other uses and advantages". One of the key points pushed by the IAB is that the internet can provide true end-to-end connectivity, which NATs make impossible. They are a noticable source of battery drain on mobile devices since they need to send keepalive messages in order to maintain their IP. And I'm just getting warmed up.
