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What You Should Know Before Installing an Internet Firewall

With all the hackers roaming the Internet nowadays, installing firewall becomes a necessity. Firewalls installed in your computer make it protected from spy programs and possible identity theft. A computer connecting to the Internet without a firewall is like a soldier going to a battle without armor.

The first step in installing a firewall is to know what type you are going to need. There are several software companies providing one today. They are headed of course by many of the software giants such as Microsoft Corporation.

Good news to Windows XP users, Microsoft already integrated firewall to it. If you are using that operating system, all you need is to turn the feature on. Unfortunately though, for operating systems released before to Windows XP, there's really no other choice but to buy the software.

The most popular software vendors are McAfee, Norton, and AVG. You can either get a CD or download the software from their website. Installation is mostly straightforward, but you might need to know a few things before you proceed in doing it.

1. Firewalls can block file and printer sharing. If you had setup your computers to share files with others in your house, installing a firewall on any one of them can suspend that feature. Before you become overeager in putting up the firewall, read through the installation windows flashing in front of you and select the option that allows you to continue with file and printer sharing.

2. Firewalls can temporarily take you off the Internet. This usually happens if you connect through a local area network or if you are using a router. Several routers have difficulty sharing Internet access to computers with newly installed firewall. While this should be solved by power cycling, some routers are simply not compatible with certain firewalls. Better call the firewall or the router company for assistance.

3. Firewalls can block you from entering a secure network. If you work from home and access your office network via a secure channel, you have to coordinate with your office IT department before installing a firewall. The firewall may cut you off entirely because it can put another layer of security to an already secured connection. Find out which firewall works best with your company security protocols.

Those are the three things that you should know before you proceed on installing a firewall. At times, installing a firewall would require extensive knowledge; because installing it is going to be critical both to your computer's security and workability.