Comments for What's a firewall, and how do I set one up?

Comment from jasom on 2011-09-05

2011-09-05T07:43:37Z

i cant play maplestory i realised that they said to check my firewall but i dunno what is that

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Comment from GREG JACKSON on 2011-06-09

2011-06-09T18:05:06Z

I've been using ZoneAlarm (free version) for several months now. At first it's somewhat annoying as it learns (configured by your input) but a few weeks later it hunkers down and warns of new or unusual traffic--- stops it--- provides info for you to decide. It does what its supposed to do so I like it. I enjoy looking into the log to just to see what its been doing. Sometimes it seems to know what to do, like a deleted program in the recycle bin trying to connect to the outside. Blocked, w/o my input. Pretty cool.

Valid and useful, for sure. The problem I often see, though, is that the average computer user is confused by those annoying warnings, and often have no idea how to answer.

10-Jun-2011

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Comment from Mark J on 2011-06-08

2011-06-08T07:13:15Z

@Allan
That's a WLAN router. It usually also contains a modem to send the signals out to the phone lines.
http://ask-leo.com/whats_the_difference_between_a_hub_a_switch_and_a_router.html

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Comment from Sasan on 2011-06-07

2011-06-08T00:52:14Z

Allan
Sounds like a modem!

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Comment from Allan on 2011-06-07

2011-06-07T20:09:21Z

I have a 'thingamajig' that my telephone line plugs into and then connects to my computer. Is it a router? or modem? or what? How do I know? It has 4 separate places that computers can plug into. It say WLAN on the front.
Thanks

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Comment from Snert on 2011-06-07

2011-06-07T16:57:50Z

My experience; by using a software firewall that monitors traffic you will know if someone is 'phoning home' from unexpected activity.
The firewall I us has an icon on the Toolbar that shows innies and outties when there's traffic and if there's any when there ought not be, I go varmit hunting.
Despite all the safty precautions, even the best defenses can be breached. Inattention, a short between the ears, a mis-click - anything.

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Comment from Tonyo Carrera on 2010-08-31

2010-09-01T03:44:28Z

it is my personal experience that windows xp serv pack any is fully worthless protecting systems.Just check your windows internet temp folder,Every PC or laptop is under a constant attack of doubleclick and other uninvited intrusive most cases virus spyware and other malicious harmful often fatal results.
Fatal I mean that the wife of the poor husband finds childporn on the PC delivered direct or indirect by these dispeakable sites.When you start getting unstoppable popups you must run a scan on your pc!!I have used spybot search and destroy and its proven really great finding eliminating these spies.

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Comment from Jennifer on 2009-10-02

2009-10-03T01:44:16Z

Hi Leo,
AT&T came out yesterday to install internet service at my home. It's wireless and my desktop is working great. However, when I tried to access the internet from my laptop, it doesn't seem to work. Under "Network Connections", I right clicked on the "Wireless Network Connection" icon and when I click on "Enable" it says "Not connected, Firewalled" Is it possible to change the firewall settings so that I'm able to access the internet? I don't want to remove the firewall completely, for the reasons you stated in your article. Thanks!

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Comment from Mike Noonan on 2009-09-29

2009-09-29T22:35:25Z

I'd agree with only a hardware firewall if only one computer is being protected and it is a desktop computer and not a laptop that goes on the road.

The hardware firewall only approach fails to detect other computer(s) intranet access on the same subnet, say a home based LAN. If one of the other computers takes in a virus, e.g., via a USB flash drive, it could be spread to the other computers via rouge network access.

Therefore, I recommend always using a software firewall except for as noted above.

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Comment from Jack Murphy on 2009-09-29

2009-09-29T18:02:10Z

Reading the article on Firewalls reminded me of a personal experience I would like to share with your readers. I Signed up for magicJack service for making free phone calls through your computer.[$40 first year, $20 yearly after.] For five weeks I could not make the thing work. Finally a company engineer shut off my Verizon Firewall and allowed only my Windows one. I began making my calls right away. The voice may fade a little sometimes but I am happy with it. Just watch out for two firewalls causing problems.

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Comment from Ramesh on 2009-09-29

2009-09-29T16:09:44Z

While I understand a broadband router could be an effective hardware firewall for PCs, I am not clear if it is functionally any different between a modem connected to a router vs a single unit with both modem and router.

Should be roughly equivalent. Quick test: if the IP addresses on your local network are "192.x.x.x" addresses, you're probably good - you have NAT router, somewhere.

30-Sep-2009

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Comment from David on 2009-09-29

2009-09-29T13:58:22Z

ummm, Leo, stick to computers. The Dash Panel (not the metal and plastic construction you can see and touch and which is correctly named Instrument Panel in the automotive industry) or Floor Panel which are steel panels under your feet and between the interior of the car and the engine compartment, are NOT there primarily to "prevent fires from roasting the driver and passengers". Yes, it may have that benefit in certain rare circumstances but its sole purpose is as a structural component of the body and to mount 'things' on. And rest your feet :P. If you call that part of a car a firewall, it's poorly considered slang and quite misleading in its literal sense. Yes, I know people use the term but they're not using industry terminology.

The original firewall was a functional element of adjoining houses to prevent a fire in one from spreading to the other. In that context, a computer firewall is a perfect analogy.

Sorry to be picky but in a previous life I was an IP (Instrument Panel) engineering specialist in the auto industry - I couldn't let your example go unchecked.

Apart from that; great article.

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Comment from Lydia Grant on 2009-09-04

2009-09-04T17:08:22Z

Where I work we all have the same lap tops and/or computers. All settings are to be the same. Some people can access a particular web site but I cannot. I have searched for something that is set differently than the others but I am frustrated. Please help.

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Comment from ANoop on 2009-05-03

2009-05-04T05:33:24Z

Windows Live Messenger Has made several attempts to sign you in. Your firewall may be blocking Messenger from connecting it to it's service. See the retailers instructions for more info"

I get this error while signing to WLM... please help me....

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Comment from Augustine on 2009-04-18

2009-04-19T05:53:53Z

i'm having the same problem like others. pop out showing "windows live messenger has made several failed attempts to sign you in.your firewall may be blocking windows live messenger from connecting to the service.please review your firewall settings.see the retailer's instructions for more information" when signing in. pls help..

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Comment from jade on 2009-02-21

2009-02-21T15:16:34Z

My computer wont let me download anything.Is my firewall doing this?If not what can I do so I can download things again?

Nowhere near enough detail. I need specific error messages that you see and the specific steps you're taking to have any hope of helping.

- Leo
21-Feb-2009

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Comment from Rezwan on 2008-12-14

2008-12-14T20:55:25Z

if i tries to sign in to my Windows Live Messenger, it displays : Several Attempts to sign in, you firewall may be blocking you to connect to the service.
Leo Please help me.
Thank you

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Comment from Osito on 2008-12-12

2008-12-12T21:53:53Z

Hi Leo I just have a question...when I try to go to the Internet...it takes a lot of time to open just yahoo,per say, when I try to diagnose the problem it says that my firewall is blocking the Internet...but I don't know how to change it...I have reseted the modem, but is useless...When turn my computer I can go the Internet and go to wherever I want,but after a couple of minutes it blocks again...and it takes a lot of time to open a page...Any suggestions of how can I can fix this problem...

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Comment from kokrui on 2008-09-14

2008-09-14T13:53:58Z

my msn cant connect as i get the massage that the firewall has blocked possibly but i dont think that it is the case can u help me please

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Comment from Avie on 2008-08-18

2008-08-19T01:03:09Z

Leo,

Hi, I am looking to set up a firewall in my home that will allow me to set up a seperate profile for each person in the household. I have five children ranging from 18 to 4 and would like to set up distinct whitelists for each person. I have been able to find a firewall that supports setting up a profile by category to block but have been unable to find one that gives me the flexability to block by category for some uses and by whitelist for others. Please keep in mind that multiple people use the same computer.

Thanks for your help

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Comment from sisca on 2008-07-19

2008-07-19T14:23:38Z

hi leo,i have a problem with my windows live messenger.when i try to sign in windows live messenger box came out and say that "windows live messenger has made several failed attempts to sign you in.your firewall may be blocking windows live messenger from connecting to the service.please review your firewall settings.see the retailer's instructions for more information".can u help me to solve my problem??thank you

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Comment from betty on 2008-01-04

2008-01-04T13:36:41Z

I have a wireless windows xp computer and just recently my computer will not hook up with the interent. I have tried everything. Could the firewall be preventing it from accessing it?

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Comment from blue on 2007-06-14

2007-06-14T22:01:56Z

my msn cant connect as i get the massage that the firewall has blocked possibly but i dont think that it is the case can u help me please

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Comment from joey hiles on 2007-06-05

2007-06-06T03:08:15Z

i turned my firewall off and it still says its on what do i do

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Comment from Rusty on 2006-07-08

2006-07-08T16:59:53Z

You note that the downside of a hardware firewall is that it only blocks incoming, not outgoing traffic. Then for a software firewall, you recommend the built-in Windows XP firewall. However, unless things have changed since I last looked into it, doesn't the XP firewall block only incoming as well and let all outgoing go, no matter what?

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Comment from ben on 2006-01-27

2006-01-27T16:39:50Z

how do i develop/create a firewall software?

which programmimg language is advisable?

i intend using Java

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Comment from Herbert Talabis on 2005-12-05

2005-12-05T15:28:04Z

I'm using Zonealarm & i'd tell you that its blocking my program including "download accelerator" "Yahoo Messenger" "Opera" etc... Whats next?? "Explorer.exe" Thank god i've read the manual otherhand, none of my program would work cause Zonealarm would be blocking all my applications.

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Comment from Leo on 2005-08-12

2005-08-13T02:21:49Z

What happens when you try to turn on the firewall?

The firewall will not stop all types of popups. You need to make sure that popup blocking is enabled in yoru browser, and make sure to run up to date anti-virus and anti-spyware tools regularly.

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Comment from tricia on 2005-08-09

2005-08-09T17:47:19Z

hi leo i have windows xp service pack 2 and it comes with fire wall but i cant switch it on .mypc has lots popups all the time ruining everything and slowing down my pc
please help
tricia

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Comment from XP on 2005-07-29

2005-07-29T11:06:19Z

to Xiah:

Goto control panel- administrative tools - services.

Scroll down until u find Windows Firewall/ Internet Connection Sharing, double click, and set the start-up type to: automatic

HTH

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Comment from Xiah on 2005-03-08

2005-03-08T18:42:47Z

i have Windows XP and everytime I reboot my computer my Windows FireWall is turned off and I have to turn it back on why does it do this?

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Comment from Lim on 2004-12-20

2004-12-20T12:47:02Z

Hi... pls help me or give me some suggestion :)

I have 2 firewalls in my office, Firewall A and Firewall B

Firewall A (the one connect to Internet):
trust ip: 192.168.1.1/24 (static IP)
untrust ip: DHCP (ISP assigned)
NAT is on at both trust and untrust interfaces.
DNS set.

Firewall B (connect to my NIC):
trust ip: 192.168.11.1/24 (static IP)
untrust ip: 192.168.1.34/24 (static IP)
my pc ip: 192.168.11.2 (static IP)

The picture is:
Internet --- Router --- Firewall A --- Server --- Firewall B --- my pc

When I try to login into my PC, it said, Domain server was unable to validate my password. I have been told if i set the IP as static in my PC, just ignore that error message.

Do you have any idea what went wrong?
Thank you very much....

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Comment from Jo Parlier on 2004-12-13

2004-12-13T14:42:55Z

I have a McAfee Fire wall on my computer, do I need a privacy wall also? If, yes why?

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