At present it is difficult to imagine the lack of computer technology in our everyday life. With all the variety of portable devices, a full-fledged computer is sometimes indispensable not only in the office, but also at home. For the uninterrupted operation of computer equipment and its protection, it is important to know what a firewall and other additional programs are.
Network firewall - what is it?
Among a large number of software, the computer's operating system includes pre-installed protection. Firewall or firewall is a kind of protective screen between the Internet and the computer itself, which is a set of programs for detecting and blocking hacker attacks. As a rule, it turns on before the first access to the Internet and provides an opportunity for effective protection of personal data. It is up to the user to decide whether to disable the firewall before starting work.
What is the function of firewalls and firewalls?
Experienced users of personal computers often wonder why a firewall is needed. Such a firewall provides the following functions:
- verification of data coming from the Internet;
- Depending on the settings of the program, you can skip them to a personal computer or block them;
- The protection system extends to all kinds of hacker programs - worms, viruses, malicious attacks.
What is the difference between a firewall and a firewall?
There is an opinion that firewalls are more functional and easy to configure, but for each master, his own point of view and personal experience regarding what a firewall is, and it will be better or worse than a firewall. Often you can hear the names of the firewall firewall, firewall. These terms combine one important function for the computer - the protection of installed programs and personal data on it. In order to understand the question, it is necessary to know what a firewall and firewall are. Some users do not see differences in them, others distinguish the following:
- A firewall (translated from German as a "large stone wall") is usually a built-in firewall for the Windows operating system.
- Firewall (from the English firewall - "fire wall") - third-party programs.
Do I need a firewall if I have an antivirus?
A popular question is whether you need a firewall on your computer if an antivirus program is installed on it. The opinions of experts on this issue diverge. On the one hand, the preinstalled program scans applications that get out of the network or connect with it from the outside, and the antivirus works with certain types of files embedded in its system and checks such resources when they are opened on the computer.
It turns out that the operation of different defense systems is directed at different groups of malicious sources. Methods of dealing with them, as a rule, are also different. For example, if you have a Trojan virus on your computer, the firewall will disable its active work, neutralize it, and the antivirus will try to find and remove or cure it. On the other hand, the installation of several security programs can affect the speed of the entire system as a whole. In some cases, the operation of an additional security system may affect similar functions of a previously installed program.
Which firewall is better?
Choosing a protective program for a personal computer, it is important to consider the degree of confidentiality of the information stored on it and the activity of using the worldwide Internet network. To answer the question of interest, it is desirable to consider the functions of individual protective systems. Not always reliable and efficient operation of the computer will depend on the price of the software product for its protection. A free firewall is sometimes just as good as an analogue. There are a number of features that you should pay attention to when choosing a firewall:
- a different set of protective equipment;
- the possibility of blocking, curing or removing malware;
- accessible program interface;
- the need for periodic updates;
- additional functions of parental control, blocking of advertising banners, monitoring of Internet traffic.
How does the firewall work?
A firewall or firewall is a program that does not allow hacker attacks to gain access to confidential information on the computer and protects it from malicious programs, viruses and worms. Typically, these security systems filter Internet traffic according to the codes programmed in them and restrict access to the computer from the outside. Depending on the action allowed in the settings, suspicious programs will be rejected or skipped.
What if the firewall blocks the Internet?
It often happens that the firewall blocks the connection to the Internet. At the same time, access to some resources may be limited, or there may be no connection to the network. In the absence of experience with these settings, it is advisable to contact the technical support or the developer of the firewall program. Depending on the type of protection screen and its settings, the following actions may be useful:
- restart the computer and the firewall program;
- Reset the network screen;
- in the settings of the protective screen, unlock applications;
- if there is an antivirus, check its compatibility with the firewall.
How do I add an application to firewall exceptions?
Those programs that are allowed by the user to run will be called firewall exceptions. They are included in the list of network screen settings and can be changed manually. For the Windows Firewall, this action is performed as follows:
- By clicking the Start button in the control panel of the computer, you need to find the firewall window.
- In its window, select "Allow the program or component to run ...".
- Then open the "Select another program" button, and select the desired program from the drop-down list. If it is not in the list, it is found through the Browse button.
- In the "Permitted Programs ..." window, the required program will be displayed. Adding the corresponding daws to the squares of the list, the user adds an exception for the firewall.
How do I enable the firewall?
For the permanent operation of this software, you simply need to turn it on the first time you start the computer. How to start the firewall - depending on the program interface in the security firewall setting window, you need to select the Enable / Disable button, and select the appropriate checkboxes for all network types, home or public.
How do I configure the firewall?
After figuring out how to open the firewall, it's important to select the components that are required for the individual user. Often the firewall settings include the following items, which can be extended in different versions:
- exceptions for the firewall - programs can be selected manually or deleted altogether;
- selection of those networks that are monitored by the screen - installing a daw for existing ones or selecting additional ones from the list on the computer;
- logging on blocked or missed attempts to connect and programs - in a separate window consent to save it with subsequent viewing.
How to disable the firewall?
It is important to remember that disabling such protection in the absence of additional antivirus can adversely affect the operation of the personal computer. If you still have a question about how to turn off the firewall, you should go back to its settings and select the Stop or Enable / Disable button depending on the firewall type.
Additionally, you may need to disable such protection on subsequent starts, for which the "firewall type" is selected in the firewall properties. In order to avoid the unfavorable consequences of the action to configure the computer system, it is advisable to trust a competent specialist.
How do I uninstall the firewall?
If the firewall is native to the operating system, you can not delete it. It is only possible to turn off the firewall. If a third-party protection screen was installed on the computer, its elimination is usually performed as for any other program. For example, through the "Add or Remove Programs" menu.
When starting work on a computer, it is important to remember that personal information is stored on it, and an information security policy often operates on the workplace, which does not allow the disclosure of confidential data. Before starting the system, you should not forget what a firewall is and how much it can be useful for the reliable protection of a personal computer.