Should You be Using a Firewall?
Read more articles on Computers.August 2, 2006
Posted by Emma
August 2, 2006
Posted by Emma
1 Views
The simple answer is, yes you should. New viruses appear on the web every day, and anti-virus software isn’t always enough to protect you.
Firewalls are designed to prevent unauthorized access to your computer. When you have a firewall installed, all data that enters or leaves your computer is examined by the firewall. Data is blocked if it does not meet the safety criteria or originates from a suspicious location. Firewalls are considered the first line of defense in protecting your computer from malicious attacks on your computer or network.
There are three basic types of firewall available. These are software firewalls, hardware firewalls, and wireless routers. Your choice will depend on how many computers will be using the firewall, and the type of operating system you are using.
1) Software firewalls are ideal if you are running just one computer. They work well with Windows 98, ME, and 2000, are easy to install, and don’t require any special hardware or wiring.
Many commercial anti-virus software programs come with firewall functions built-in. There are also firewall programs downloadable on the internet. If you decide to do this, choose a trustworthy brand such as Zone Alarm.
If you have Windows XP, you have access to a built-in firewall. If you have updated to Service Pack 2, this is on by default. If not, then turn it on as follows:
Start => Control Panel => Network Connections
Then, right click on the connection you want the firewall on, select Properties and choose the Advanced tab Check the box that says “Protect my computer” click OK and then you’re done.
2) Hardware Routers are a good choice for home networks of two or more computers. They usually allow at least four computers to be networked together and provide protection for all computers on the network. The main drawback to using a router is that you’ll end up with extra wires cluttering up your computer area, and if your computers are in different areas of the house, it can get messy trying to connect them all to the same router.
3) If you’re in that situation then a wireless router will solve your problem – you can connect multiple computers as well as printers without using wiring. They’re also a great option for connecting lap top computers to your network and to the internet. However since you will need a wireless adapter in any computer that connects to a wireless router, the costs are higher than using a normal router. Additionally, not all wireless routers come with a built-in firewall, so if you choose this option you should make sure that your wireless router has a firewall, or purchase one separately.
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I agree that more people should be using firewalls..of any nature. I would figure that most families could get away with just using their router’s built in firewall protection.
I know I’ve stopped some nasty stuff on some very very vulnerable ports