Protecting Your PC on the Internet
With the onslaught of computer hackers, scammers, and viruses that are prevalent around the Internet, it is important to know how and why you should install a firewall. This is your first line of defense between your computer and data that is entering it. With one, you can avoid dangerous attacks that can wipe out your data or steal personal information.
Since there are a wide variety of firewalls available, including those from major corporations such as Microsoft, you first need to determine what kind of firewall your PC requires.
A firewall is likely to be set up and ready to use if the computer came installed with the Microsoft XP or Vista operating system though you might have to tweak it if you are using broadband telephony with software offered by various Voip companiesor other addons to your PC. Check that it is turned on and working properly. Purchase your own software if you do not have one of these newer operating systems. Owners of Microsoft XP may still want to purchase separate firewall software as the XP version doesn’t get great reviews.
The many products available, include Norton, AVG, and McAfee and can be purchased in store or downloaded from the internet. Depending on the sophistication of the software, prices will vary but there are also plenty of low cost versions available, even from the big name companies.
The functions that you need, such as file and printing sharing, must not be blocked by the program. Settings can be configured during installation or at a later date using the documentation provided.
Parts of the Internet may be restricted by a firewall. Awareness of how you connect is important as if you use a local area network or a router, this could happen. It is difficult to access secured networks when you have installed a firewall. If you work from home or connect to a company computer, you need to coordinate with the IT department in your company before installing a firewall since they may have specific instructions concerning how to configure its settings so you are still able to connect to them.
