With the onslaught of computer hackers, scammers, and computer viruses that are prevalent around the Internet, it is important to know how and why you should install a firewall.

Though adequately addressing computer security can be a frustrating experience for those who are relatively new to the Internet experience, there is actually more involved in protecting your PC than running virus scans, anti-spyware programs, and warding off email spam.

A firewall is your first line of defense between your computer and data that is entering it. Without it, your computer is prone to a dangerous attacks that can wipe out your data or steal personal information that can negatively impact you.

You first need to determine what kind of firewall you need for your computer. There are many available, some from major corporations such as Microsoft.

If you already have a computer that came installed with the Microsoft XP or Vista operating system, then chances are that your firewall is already set up and ready to be used.

However, you do need to make sure that it is turned on and working properly. If you do not have one of these later operating systems, then you need to purchase your own firewall software. (Even with Microsoft XP, you may still want to purchase separate firewall software since the XP version doesn’t get great reviews.)

There are many firewalls products available, including as the most popular – Norton, AVG, and McAfee. You can either visit a store that sells computer software or download a firewall product through the Internet.

Prices vary depending on sophistication of the software, but there are also plenty of low cost firewalls available, even from the big name companies. Once in hand and prior to installing your firewall, you need to take a few things into consideration.

Firewalls can block certain functions that you need, so you must configure it to allow those, such as file and printing sharing. You will normally learn how to do this during the installation or by using its documentation to change the settings once the firewall is installed.

Firewalls tend to stop you from going to certain parts of the Internet as well. This can happen if you use a local area network or a router, so it is important that you are familiar with how you connect.

Secured networks in particular are difficult to access with a firewall in place. 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.

Written by: OSAblogger / Bill Wardell - Please Read Our Latest OSA eZine Edition

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