Firewall

[Aaron]

I'm about to get my DSL connected. Everyone is telling me
that I MUST get a firewall before going online. Does
Windows XP already have a firewall included?

[Jupiter Jones]

Aaron;
Yes:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q283673

--
Jupiter Jones
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
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Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"Aaron" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to get my DSL connected. Everyone is telling me
> that I MUST get a firewall before going online. Does
> Windows XP already have a firewall included?

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

In today's environment, only a fool would go on-line, regardless
of connection type, without both a reliable firewall and a good
antivirus application.

WinXP's built-in firewall is fine at stopping incoming attacks, and
hiding all of your ports from probes. It doesn't give you any alarms
to tell you that it is working, though. What WinXP also does not do,
is protect you from any Trojans or spyware that you might download and
install inadvertently. It doesn't monitor out-going traffic at all,
much less block (or at least ask you about) the bad or the
questionable out-going packets.

To enable the built-in firewall, Start > Network Connections >
Right-click the connection > Properties > Advanced > Protect my
computer.....

ZoneAlarm or Sygate are much better, and there are a free versions
available. Personally, I've been very happy with Symantec's Norton
Internet Security 2002 (NIS 2003 is now available), which includes
Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, parental controls, privacy
controls, and ad blocking. (Just the elimination of most pop-up ads
on the Internet made the price worth-while to me.)


Bruce Chambers

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----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Aaron" > wrote in message
...
> I'm about to get my DSL connected. Everyone is telling me
> that I MUST get a firewall before going online. Does
> Windows XP already have a firewall included?