Firewalls are computer programs that help protect your computer from the big, bad Internet. Windows PC’s, at least PCs running Windows XP, come with a Windows Firewall that may be turned on or off by the user to aid in protecting their computers from threats over the Internet or their Network. Surprisingly, many Windows users seem to be unaware of that they have a built in firewall with their Windows XP program, and that is really quite easy to access.
With just a few simple steps, almost any Windows XP user may turn on their Windows Firewall, helping block their PC from external threats and problems. Of course, this is not the only step you may take to help protect your computer, but it is an important, and very basic step in securing your PC from attacks via the Internet.
To turn on your Windows Firewall, first look on your screen, and click the ‘Start’ button in the lower-left hand corner. Your Start list will popup, and then should click on the ‘Control Panel’ button on the right. This will take you to your PC’s Control Panel, where you may access a myriad of different categories to change settings on your computer. You can even view what types of font are loaded on your PC, and add more font types from here.
Click on the icon/button for the ‘Network and Internet Connections.’ You will be taken to a new popup screen displaying various network tasks. Click on the ‘Windows Firewall’ button, in the lower right hand side of the window. A final PC window will popup, revealing the needed Windows Firewall settings. Now, you can change your Windows Firewall settings, turn it on or off, and check the programs that are allowed to be exceptions for Windows Firewall to recognize.
Under the ‘Advanced’ tab you will find special settings for your Internet connections, and it will show what connections your have installed on your computer. Under the ‘General’ Tab, click on the ‘On’ button to turn your Windows Firewall on. There you go! You have successfully turned on your Windows XP Windows Firewall. You can turn it off, and choose what programs are allowed through, by accessing the Windows Firewall tool through the same steps as above.
Keep in mind that Windows Firewall should be used along with an Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware program, as the more protection you have, the more secure your PC should be! Try AVG Anti-Virus for a good Anti-virus program (Free and paid versions are available for download on the companies website), ZoneAlarm for an added extra free firewall utility, and Spybot for a free anti-spyware tool.
Adware and Adwatch are also two other useful programs for keeping your computer secure, but they are not free like Spybot: Search and Destroy. Keeping your computer secure may feel difficult at first and perhaps a bit too time consuming, but trust me, it is far better than having to deal with a computer full of spyware, viruses, and the like. Follow these instructions, and turn on your Windows Firewall today!
