Helping you save money and learn a skill...for free!
Message Boards
14. Finishing Up
The Final Step!
Protect Yourself From Hackers!
With the advent of broadband internet connections many people are switching from dial-up to high speed internet connections. With this new form of "always on" connections comes a risk of being invaded by hackers . One of the first things you need to do is go to the Network Connections control panel in the Control Panel folder. Once there you'll see a window like the one below.
Right click on the icon that says Local Area Connection and go to Properties as shown above. Then another box will pop up. Once that happens click on the Advanced tab as shown below.
Make sure the box that says "Protect my computer and network...." is checked. Once this is checked there is a wall of protection between your computer and the outside world.
While the Windows XP version of a firewall is very good, you may want to take it a step further and download a great firewall from ZoneLabs.com .
Zonelabs has a very extensive firewall and if you choose the right package it will include a Spam Filter and Pop-Up Blocker.
That's It!
After you've installed some protective software you'll be ready to go. One thing to keep in mind is to limit the number of programs you install on your computer. The number one source of all computer problems involve either too much software, or conflicting software. If you download a program to test it out, decide not to keep it, and wish to remove it then do so through the Control Panel's "Add/Remove Programs." This will make certain that all of the components of the software are removed and will minimize any problems in the future.
Have fun, check this site for updates, and sign up for the Newsletter to make sure you keep on top of any security issues or special deals!