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Is it safe to use a USB 4G/LTE Mobile Internet Key, vs. a 4G/LTE Hub? How does it compare using an USB internet key to being behind a router/hub that has a firewall?

I want to be shielded from the internet, and I am not too sure the USB internet key does that. Computers on the internet are constantly scanned for security holes and eventually some are infected.

To be more specific I was looking at these brands: NETGEAR AirCard 340U 4G LTE Mobile Internet Key vs Huawei B890 4G LTE Smart Hub. I assume the hub has a built-in firewall.

Thanks

boggy
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1 Answers1

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How does it compare using an USB internet key to being behind a router/hub that has a firewall?

With router/hub you probably mean the devices you use to get internet access through DSL or cable. The "firewalls" in these devices are nothing more than simple packet filters which don't offer (much) more than you can find in the built in firewall of todays windows systems. And by being only simple packet filters they don't offer any protection against today's most common threats, i.e. websites delivering malware and malware delivered within mails.

Thus the security of these router/hub and USB internet keys are similar in that they don't offer any relevant protection at all.

Note that few of the routers you can buy actually offer more protection by using external services and might block access to URL's based on externally provided blacklists etc. But these are usually added services which you have to pay for regularly, similar to a antivirus installed on the local machine.

Steffen Ullrich
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