firewall question

Should you turn on the mac firewall if you aren't on a public network?Or is it safe to do without it on a home network-after windows it seems so scary not to have a firewall!

I only use the Mac firewall on a public network and turn it off at the office/home and
use the firewall in the modem.

There's no need to turn on the Mac's built-in (software) firewall. Your router has a much superior hardware firewall already on. That's why the Mac's firewall is off by default.

Welcome to a much more secure and elegant computer you don't have to be afraid of.

Just make sure you turn that firewall on when you're at your local Starbucks or any other wireless hot spot. And if you're the type of person who forgets to turn it on or off, it certainly won't do any harm by leaving it on all the time.

Well, it CAN do harm by conflicting with other firewalls and blocking services of course. Personally I can't see the point of turning it on at Starbucks either -- the only thing a firewall protects you from is DDOS attacks, and it is MUCH MORE in Starbucks' interest to protect THEIR service from that attack than it is in yours (since all it can do is cause you to lose your internet connection temporarily), so it's a good bet that the Starbucks has a hardware router (with firewall) already in place.

I haven't actually seen a DDOS attack on a network I've been on in years.

If you're the sort of person who won't remember to turn it on and off all the time, just leave it off.

Thanks,I love my new mac!!No antivirus hassles,no need for a firewall....it's very liberating.

Regardless, (and we're happy you love your Mac) don't be complacent and throw caution to the wind.

I urge you to read our Sticky Notice at the top of this forum: Official antivirus, malware, and firewall FAQ. Pay special attention to what it says about firewalls.