Firewall Settings

A firewall is a defensive measure on your PC to protect you from viruses and malicious software, and it is very important to adjust its settings correctly. Failure to do so can expose your computer to many risks, and if your machine gets infected with a virus, you will lose all your important data. There is a reason why a it comes pre-installed and activated with every computer operating system, and any antivirus software that you use will also have a firewall attached to it, in order to protect your computer.

It is always recommended to keep your firewall turned on especially when it comes to internet security, and you must learn how to check it for this purpose. You should have a look at these settings from time to time, and ensure that it is switched on, because if you do not do so, your computer will be susceptible to some major computer security threats.

Windows Firewall

You can access the firewall's settings for your Windows operating system by going to the Start menu, then going to Control Panel and then going to the Security Center or directly clicking on the Windows Firewall options. This will open up its window, and you can make all the changes you want over here. There are 3 settings for you to choose from, and these are as follows.

• ON: This is the default setting for all computer operating systems, and it is best to leave it this way. If there is a program or an application that you need to access the Internet or a LAN connection with, then you must go to the Exceptions tab and select all the programs you wish to grant access to.
• NO EXCEPTIONS: You must choose this when your computer is connected to an unsecured connection, and you are unsure of all the programs and users that could access your machine. This is a temporary way of turning off all exceptions, and you can turn on the exceptions again later.
• OFF: This is when the firewall is completely off, and this is the most risky and unsafe of all. Turn it off only under rare circumstances, and always ensure that this option is not selected when you are accessing a network.

You can also change Windows 7 settings in a similar manner. This is the newest Windows operating system offered by Microsoft, and requires you to follow a similar method.

The advantage of keeping it switched on at all times is that it will warn you when some unsolicited program is trying to access your machine, or when a program you are running is trying to access an external network. You will need to give your permission in order for the action to continue, so this can only be a good thing. You can prevent any potential risks to your laptop computer or desktop computer by using the firewall settings wisely.

Every antivirus software that you install on your machine will also have a firewall embedded in it, and you will be required to switch this on and change the settings as you please. Note that such programs do not interfere or clash with the Windows firewall system, so it is advisable to keep both activated at all times. The more protection you have against computer viruses and external threats, the better it will be.

Microsoft Windows requires a preset firewall embedded in it, because the security threat is very high for this operating system. Most people around the world use this OS, so there are naturally more viruses and threats present on the system. By learning how to change firewall settings, you are ensuring that your PC is protected at all times.