| Firewall Information |
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| What is a firewall? |
A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that helps screen out hackers, viruses, and worms that try to reach your computer over the Internet. If you are a home user or small-business user, using a firewall is the most effective and important first step you can take to help protect your computer.
It is important to turn on your firewall and antivirus software before you connect to the Internet. |
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| Why do I need a firewall? |
If your computer is not protected when you connect to the Internet, hackers can gain access to personal information on your computer. They can install code on your computer that destroys files or causes malfunctions. They can also use your computer to cause problems on other home and business computers connected to the Internet. A firewall helps to screen out many kinds of malicious Internet traffic before it reaches your computer.
Some firewalls can also help to prevent other people from using your computer to attack other computers without your knowledge. Using a firewall is important no matter how you connect to the Internet. |
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| How can I tell if my computer already has a firewall? |
If you have Windows Vista or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) running on your computer, you can check to see if your firewall is turned on through the Windows Security Center:- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- Click Security Center, and then click Windows Firewall.
If you have a different version of Windows, such as Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows 98, you should obtain a hardware or software firewall from another company and install it.
You can check the manuals of your home networking devices, such as wireless access points or broadband routers, to determine if they include built-in hardware firewalls.
If you don't know if a software firewall is on your computer, you can check in the All Programs folder. Click Start, and then click All Programs. Look for a firewall program. Some common brand names for software firewalls for home users include McAfee, Symantec, and Tiny Personal Firewall. |
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| Should I use a firewall if I have more than one computer in a home or small-office network? |
Yes. If you have more than one computer in a home or small-office network, you should protect every computer in the network.
Turning on Windows Firewall or another firewall on every connection will help prevent the spread of a virus from one computer to another in your network if one of your computers becomes infected. However, if you open an infected e-mail attachment, the firewall won't block it and it can infect your computer. You should install an antivirus program as well. |
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| I have Windows Vista. Can I use a firewall other than the built-in firewall? |
| Yes. Windows Vista and Windows XP users who want different features in a firewall may use a hardware firewall or a software firewall from another company. |
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| Will a firewall protect my wireless network? |
| A firewall will help protect a computer on a wireless network, but will not restrict access to the network itself. You should configure your wireless network to use a network key using either Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) or wired equivalent privacy (WEP). |
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| Some of my games and other programs seem to have stopped working after I turned on Windows Firewall. Why? |
| To work correctly, some programs need to have specific ports open so that traffic can pass through the Firewall. Consult your firewall documentation to learn how to enable ports. |
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| Protect Yourself Against Threats |
Below are some suggested locations to visit and programs available for firewall protection. Cable One, Inc. does not provide technical support for non-Cable One software.
- Learn about Windows Firewall
- Purchase Firewall protection software, such as F-Secure Internet Security Suite.
- Download protection programs available through Microsoft
- Search Google for Free Firewall Programs
- Read about the latest threats
- For additional support contact an authorized dealer in your area. |
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