AC68U REPLIED to Ping (ICMP Echo) requests

[KP rower]

Hi, long time reader (2013), new poster.
I found the forum and all the knowledge here helped me set up a VPN on a AC66U for watching Netflix in Japan, and they guided me to the Merlin builds! Thanks to SNB and RMerlin for all your help, and builds!

I had some down time over the holidays and was learning more about network and router security (from routersecurity.org and SNB) and found GRC.com Shields Up test. I learned a lot about closed/open/stealth ports, but even searching SNB haven't been able to figure out how to keep my AC68U running Merlin 380.64 from responding to public pings:

I have Firewall=>General=>Respond Ping Request from WAN = NO

Thanks for any help or guidance! I feel often that I know just enough to make myself dangerous to myself!

ASUS RT-68U; Merlin 380.64; OpenVPN
ASUS RT-66U; Merlin 380.64; ISP

 

[pattiri]

these are not responds to ping. Table shows the opened ports on your router. ICMP (ping) doesn't have port.

 

[KP rower]

these are not responds to ping. Table shows the opened ports on your router. ICMP (ping) doesn't have port.

Your right, and I agree. I have read that closed/stealth is good and open is needed to surf sites associated with those ports (ie 80 for http, 443 for https, etc) I should have posted a better picture since I was only trying to reference the bottom two lines:

"Ping Reply: RECEIVED (FAILED) — Your system REPLIED to our Ping (ICMP Echo) requests, making it visible on the Internet. Most personal firewalls can be configured to block, drop, and ignore such ping requests in order to better hide systems from hackers. This is highly recommended since "Ping" is among the oldest and most common methods used to locate systems prior to further exploitation."

Any tips on how to keep the router from responding to public pings? Does it really enhance my security/anonymity?

 

[john9527]

If you have an OpenVPN client active, your are testing your VPN server, not your router. Turn off your VPN and re-run the test.

 

[KP rower]

Ahh, Thanks john.