The majority of people have no idea that even their DSL router and home cable use a firewall. If you have a network, then you should know that the firewall is one of its integral parts. It does not matter if you have a large or small network it is crucial to install a firewall. Depending on the specific needs of your network, you have to buy either a hardware or a software firewall. Specialists recommend people to install a firewall as SonicWALL TZ Series 205 as soon as they purchase the first computer from the network. But for being able to install and use a firewall you have to make sure that you understand how it works. Here are some things you should know about firewall in networking, especially when you run a business.
[See image gallery at www.paydiddy.com]What does the firewall do?
The antivirus and firewalls work together to protect the computers from your network. The antivirus is the one that detects the malware that is running on your computer and the firewall block any malicious connection. The firewall is important when you have a business based on the information you share inside the computer network, because it blocks the incoming requests from the Internet to the computers. As a businessperson, you want to make sure that only the persons you want have access to the network, and the firewall blocks the others’ access. They are complex devices and software because they not only block the incoming requests, but they also make sure that no viruses, hackers and other types of malware access and harm your network. A hacker would steal your financial information, passwords and other important data concerning your business, and would sell it on the black market, so it is crucial to invest in the best firewall on the market to protect yourself.
How does the firewall works?
Firewalls and routers use different methods to block any unwanted traffic on your network. The first method they use is the packet filtering. When you send and receive messages from your computer the Internet uses packages and through this method, the firewall reviews the packets and identifies if they include malicious content.
Deciding on the type of software, you should install
Having these aspects in view, you may want to install a firewall for your network. In this case, you have to choose one of the models available on the market. You can run a personal firewall on your PC if you want to defend against malicious software and programs or if you use port forwarding. If you use Windows, then you should know that it features an internal firewall. From the XP version, Windows introduced a personal firewall, alongside with an antivirus software. When you update the Windows program, it will also update the definition files. In this way, the software and the firewall are very effective. If you want to access them, you can do it from the Control Panel, in case you want to turn it off, because it interferes with your network connectivity or applications, you can easily do it from there.