Could you explain a little more?
Perhaps the following information would help.
The router is Linksys BESFX41. The ISP is Verizon. The log file is below.
It looks to me as if every line in the log you quote below is a false
positive: either a defect in the firewall, or an artefact of the way your
news-reader works. I'm guessing that at every time listed in the log you
were reading news from msnews.microsoft.com, which is what 207.46.248.16 is,
listed as the Remote IP address. The Remote Port shown is 119, which is the
News protocol port. Port 119 never initiates any traffic: it only responds
to traffic from your PC news client. So a firewall should never show
"Inward" traffic originating from port 119 on a remote address. The fact
that every line in the log below shows an Inward probe from port 119 is
indicative that something is not right with the firewall. One of the
problems with the log shown below is the complete lack of information about
the packet being logged, apart from the addresses and ports: really ones
needs more information to make sense of a firewall log, such as the TCP
status flags. I'm afraid the Linksys logs are close to useless in this
respect.
I can think of some scenarios which might cause such mis-behaviour:
1. The firewall is broken in such a way that it considers a TCP connection
closed when the client sends FIN, and therefore registers the FIN-ACK
response from the server as an inbound malign probe. If this were the case,
you would see similar false log entries in relation to web browsing.
2. The news reader typically leaves its TCP connection to the server idle
for long periods. When the server times out the idleness, and attempts to
reset the TCP connection, the firewall logs the inbound packet from the
server as a malign probe.
3. The news client opens so many simultaneous TCP connections to port 119 on
the remote server, that the external firewall's capacity to track TCP
connections is overloaded.
WallReViewer - 60-day history of last 2 days of Inbound Remote IP Addrs - as
of 10/14/04 06:42:52 Eastern Standard Time (Timestamps are Local Time)
Date Time Dir Prot Rem IP Addr Remote Name R
Port Lcl IP Addr L Port
2004/08/15 08:08:05 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 1494
2004/08/15 08:11:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 1493
2004/08/15 08:26:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 1493
2004/08/15 08:30:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 1619
2004/08/15 08:38:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 1782
2004/08/16 08:50:39 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 2233
2004/08/16 08:53:19 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 2250
2004/08/16 08:59:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.253 2308
2004/08/17 09:19:09 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 3820
2004/08/18 09:36:32 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 1972
2004/08/18 09:38:52 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 1989
2004/08/18 09:40:32 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 2008
2004/08/19 15:25:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 2151
2004/08/19 15:29:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 2172
2004/08/19 15:30:56 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.150.68 2191
2004/08/20 06:46:01 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 2186
2004/08/20 06:46:51 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 2194
2004/08/20 06:49:00 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 2215
2004/08/21 09:44:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1499
2004/08/21 09:45:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1507
2004/08/21 09:54:17 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1656
2004/08/22 08:45:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1668
2004/08/22 08:46:17 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1675
2004/08/22 08:50:17 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1733
2004/08/23 10:15:33 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1826
2004/08/23 10:20:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1853
2004/08/23 10:21:33 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1868
2004/08/23 11:32:42 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.95.41 1853
2004/08/25 14:32:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.40.237 1533
2004/08/25 14:34:01 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.40.237 1543
2004/08/25 14:35:11 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.40.237 1560
2004/08/26 10:06:54 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 2066
2004/08/27 11:27:02 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 2961
2004/08/27 11:31:42 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 2984
2004/08/27 11:37:22 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 3034
2004/08/27 12:01:52 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 2961
2004/08/28 08:25:27 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1733
2004/08/28 08:26:57 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1743
2004/08/28 08:28:27 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1761
2004/08/29 06:58:11 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1543
2004/08/29 07:00:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1556
2004/08/29 07:03:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1584
2004/08/29 07:16:01 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1583
2004/08/29 07:27:21 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1583
2004/08/29 09:26:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1584
2004/08/29 09:26:40 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.157.52 1556
2004/08/30 09:25:31 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.97.179 2013
2004/08/30 09:27:11 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.97.179 2025
2004/08/30 09:31:21 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.97.179 2055
2004/08/30 09:59:00 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.97.179 2055
2004/08/31 09:12:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2357
2004/08/31 09:13:53 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2420
2004/08/31 09:17:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2448
2004/08/31 13:46:08 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2357
2004/08/31 13:46:08 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2448
2004/09/01 10:26:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2209
2004/09/01 10:30:43 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2232
2004/09/01 10:32:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2279
2004/09/01 10:33:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2278
2004/09/01 10:54:52 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2278
2004/09/01 14:22:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2209
2004/09/01 14:22:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.204 2232
2004/09/03 10:05:47 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1791
2004/09/03 10:07:07 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1834
2004/09/03 10:19:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/03 10:44:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1791
2004/09/03 10:44:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/03 11:05:48 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1791
2004/09/03 11:07:08 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1834
2004/09/03 11:19:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/03 11:44:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1791
2004/09/03 11:44:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/04 09:22:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1614
2004/09/04 09:22:43 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1614
2004/09/04 09:23:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1623
2004/09/04 09:23:43 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1623
2004/09/04 09:29:31 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1658
2004/09/04 09:29:33 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1658
2004/09/04 10:08:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1658
2004/09/05 08:50:34 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1984
2004/09/05 08:52:44 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1998
2004/09/05 08:57:44 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/05 11:58:22 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2042
2004/09/06 09:01:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1547
2004/09/06 09:02:27 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1554
2004/09/06 09:07:57 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1754
2004/09/06 09:54:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1554
2004/09/07 09:27:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1890
2004/09/07 09:32:20 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 1891
2004/09/08 08:13:05 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2082
2004/09/08 08:20:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2241
2004/09/09 08:17:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2187
2004/09/09 08:22:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2222
2004/09/09 08:23:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2238
2004/09/09 08:25:05 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2237
2004/09/09 08:41:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2237
2004/09/09 11:19:43 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2238
2004/09/09 11:19:43 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 151.200.237.86 2187
2004/09/10 10:03:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1468
2004/09/10 10:12:05 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1506
2004/09/10 10:18:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1581
2004/09/10 11:26:23 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1581
2004/09/10 11:26:23 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1506
2004/09/10 11:26:23 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1468
2004/09/11 10:02:57 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1560
2004/09/11 10:03:47 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1567
2004/09/11 10:05:17 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1586
2004/09/11 10:31:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1567
2004/09/13 10:22:54 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 2263
2004/09/13 10:27:14 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 2285
2004/09/13 10:41:54 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 2447
2004/09/14 09:28:55 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1471
2004/09/14 09:33:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1504
2004/09/14 09:39:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1562
2004/09/14 10:22:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1504
2004/09/14 10:22:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.1.193 1562
2004/09/16 10:48:17 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 2281
2004/09/16 10:51:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 2298
2004/09/16 10:55:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 2338
2004/09/17 08:31:22 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 1982
2004/09/17 08:37:42 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 2021
2004/09/17 11:06:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 1982
2004/09/17 11:06:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.140.132 2021
2004/09/18 09:21:24 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 2820
2004/09/18 10:05:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3248
2004/09/18 10:15:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3353
2004/09/18 11:26:42 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3248
2004/09/19 09:56:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 1463
2004/09/19 09:57:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 1469
2004/09/19 10:11:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 1567
2004/09/19 15:34:01 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 1567
2004/09/20 11:55:37 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3041
2004/09/20 11:57:27 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3052
2004/09/20 11:59:27 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3068
2004/09/20 12:02:07 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3067
2004/09/20 14:41:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.168.177 3067
2004/09/22 14:05:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.126.125 3961
2004/09/22 14:07:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.126.125 3973
2004/09/22 14:15:19 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.126.125 4061
2004/09/24 11:22:06 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2720
2004/09/24 11:24:46 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2734
2004/09/24 11:34:56 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2804
2004/09/24 11:55:16 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2720
2004/09/24 11:55:16 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2734
2004/09/25 11:34:46 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2388
2004/09/25 11:36:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2398
2004/09/25 11:43:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2463
2004/09/25 16:16:22 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2398
2004/09/25 16:16:22 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2388
2004/09/25 16:16:32 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.165.51 2463
2004/09/26 07:37:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.182.44 1701
2004/09/26 07:38:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.182.44 1709
2004/09/26 07:46:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.182.44 1791
2004/09/27 09:30:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 1723
2004/09/27 10:13:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2003
2004/09/27 10:24:55 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2080
2004/09/28 09:44:49 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2567
2004/09/28 09:48:58 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2712
2004/09/28 09:56:38 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2764
2004/09/28 14:05:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2567
2004/09/28 14:05:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2712
2004/09/28 14:05:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2764
2004/09/29 08:59:51 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2424
2004/09/29 09:04:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2560
2004/09/29 09:09:21 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2610
2004/09/30 10:53:23 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 1825
2004/09/30 11:02:23 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 1995
2004/09/30 11:07:03 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.178.226 2025
2004/10/01 08:00:44 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2109
2004/10/01 08:07:54 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2142
2004/10/01 08:14:54 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2182
2004/10/01 09:00:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2109
2004/10/01 09:07:55 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2142
2004/10/01 09:14:55 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2182
2004/10/02 07:47:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2264
2004/10/02 07:48:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2272
2004/10/02 08:14:29 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2467
2004/10/02 09:48:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2467
2004/10/02 09:48:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2272
2004/10/02 09:48:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.148.252 2264
2004/10/04 09:48:19 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 2868
2004/10/04 09:52:59 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 2893
2004/10/04 10:18:09 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1077
2004/10/04 10:19:09 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1088
2004/10/04 10:37:09 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1077
2004/10/05 06:21:24 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1492
2004/10/05 06:21:25 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1492
2004/10/05 06:22:44 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1514
2004/10/05 06:22:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1514
2004/10/05 06:26:04 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1539
2004/10/05 06:26:05 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1539
2004/10/05 06:38:14 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1492
2004/10/05 06:38:14 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1514
2004/10/05 06:38:14 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1539
2004/10/06 11:25:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 2411
2004/10/06 11:31:13 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 2441
2004/10/06 11:36:33 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 2477
2004/10/07 08:10:20 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1257
2004/10/07 08:11:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1268
2004/10/07 08:30:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.185.131 1504
2004/10/08 10:10:16 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 2937
2004/10/08 10:10:36 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 2992
2004/10/08 10:11:46 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 3053
2004/10/09 06:43:35 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1519
2004/10/09 06:52:15 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1679
2004/10/09 06:56:45 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1707
2004/10/09 16:05:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1519
2004/10/09 16:05:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1679
2004/10/09 16:05:28 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1707
2004/10/10 06:42:08 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1442
2004/10/10 06:42:18 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1466
2004/10/10 06:46:18 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1554
2004/10/10 08:39:36 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1442
2004/10/10 08:39:36 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 1466
2004/10/11 08:09:30 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 2036
2004/10/11 08:11:10 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 2046
2004/10/11 08:17:00 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.90.184 2088
2004/10/12 09:21:31 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.169.129 2354
2004/10/12 09:22:41 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.169.129 2353
2004/10/12 09:33:40 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.169.129 2353
2004/10/12 09:33:40 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.169.129 2419
2004/10/12 09:56:50 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 141.156.169.129 2627
2004/10/13 14:58:36 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.138.180 2532
2004/10/13 15:03:26 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.138.180 2564
2004/10/13 15:03:46 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.138.180 2563
2004/10/13 15:20:14 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 138.88.138.180 2978
2004/10/14 06:31:11 I tcp 207.46.248.16
119 xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 1970