A Firewall is, actually, pretty much the same as its non-tech definition. A firewall, in building construction, is set up to contain or prevent fire from traveling from one side of the wall to the other - an extra bit of protection, if you will. A firewall on your pc does, essentially, the same thing.

Seven Design Avenue describes a firewall this way:

A firewall is a safeguard utilized by many Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs) to protect the network from unauthorized access from the outside. They are basically gates that verify the users before they leave or enter the network by way of a User ID, Password or IP address.

bytown internet explains it another way:

A Firewall is a system which limits network access between two or more networks. Normally, a Firewall is deployed between a trusted, protected private network and an untrusted public network. For example, the trusted network might be a corporate network (ie: Queens University), and the public network might be the Internet. A Firewall might grant or revoke access based on user Authentication, source and destination network addresses, network protocol, time of day, network service or any combination of these. These settings are normally controlled by the Network Administrator.

So how can a firewall help you - the average, home user?

By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP?

Seven Design Avenue describes a firewall this way:

A firewall is a safeguard utilized by many Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs) to protect the network from unauthorized access from the outside. They are basically gates that verify the users before they leave or enter the network by way of a User ID, Password or IP address.

bytown internet explains it another way:

A Firewall is a system which limits network access between two or more networks. Normally, a Firewall is deployed between a trusted, protected private network and an untrusted public network. For example, the trusted network might be a corporate network (ie: Queens University), and the public network might be the Internet. A Firewall might grant or revoke access based on user Authentication, source and destination network addresses, network protocol, time of day, network service or any combination of these. These settings are normally controlled by the Network Administrator.

So how can a firewall help you - the average, home user?

By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP? What Translation Agencies want from a Translator
Competition is fierce among freelance translators nowadays. As more people go into the profession of translation they are all seeking the same jobs with the same translation agencies. Many translators become frustrated at not receiving continuous work from an agency and many can not even get on the books. These 10 tips for freelance translators will give you an idea of whatd or IP address.

bytown internet explains it another way:

A Firewall is a system which limits network access between two or more networks. Normally, a Firewall is deployed between a trusted, protected private network and an untrusted public network. For example, the trusted network might be a corporate network (ie: Queens University), and the public network might be the Internet. A Firewall might grant or revoke access based on user Authentication, source and destination network addresses, network protocol, time of day, network service or any combination of these. These settings are normally controlled by the Network Administrator.

So how can a firewall help you - the average, home user?

By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP? Health Insurance Companies Fail To Please All
When you are shopping for health insurance it would be helpful to know how often health insurance companies fail to provide the service you would expect. The Arizona Department of Insurance has released a report listing fines and complaints filed against health insurance companies in the state.The report covers 27 insurers or about 75% of the companies serving Arizoe public network might be the Internet. A Firewall might grant or revoke access based on user Authentication, source and destination network addresses, network protocol, time of day, network service or any combination of these. These settings are normally controlled by the Network Administrator.

So how can a firewall help you - the average, home user?

By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP? Configuring Spam Filters
The user must follow several instructions in order to configure spam filters. Spam filter is a software program designed to block unwanted e-mail messages from entering your inbox. Based upon the type and configuration technique used, spam filters handle e-mails. Some filtering solutions send the e-mail to the inbox. Some of them redirect the spam message and deliver it to By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP? Easy enough. On your Desktop, right-click once on My Computer and choose "Properties". The little window that pops up should tell you which operating system you are running. If not, you can also open My Computer and choose Help: About Windows from the taskbar at the top of the window.

Ok, I'm running WinXP - how do I know if I have Service Pack 2? The same way we just went through! Both of the ways listed above will tell you if you are running Service Pack 2 (or sp2).

Great! How do I make sure my firewall is turned on? First off, go into your Control Panel (usually found on the Start menu). Find the "Security Center" and open it up. You should see the firewall as one of the security features offered - simply make sure it's switched to "On".

I don't have Windows XP or Service Pack 2 and I have no plans to upgrade any time soon. That isn't a problem. There are other legitimate, and trustworthy firewall sites on the Internet (of course, there are some of the other kind, too!). Just poke around and Google "firewall program".

From homecomputersafety.com

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