[Lumen]

Hi again As you know i am a completely newbie and i am beginnning to explore more about computers...so i am sorry if my questions sound really stupid.
So today i decided to explore my firewall settings. I read some articles on windows microsoft..but i still don't get the advanced proporties. Can someone explain me their use and when should i use them? I also read someone that they are types of firewalls and that you can install your own. What are these types and is it better to install another or windows firewall is ok?

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The advanced options normally don't need to be used in most cases, but sometimes they need to be used to open ports to allow programs to work correctly, like the download utilities for game clients like Blizzard's World of Warcraft, NCSoft's Aion, etc. You will know when you need to use this, as the user manual and/or technical support site for the program/game you are trying to run will stipulate that you need to open those ports in the firewall.

You may also need to allow game executable (exe) files access to the network if you don't receive a popup warning asking you if you want to allow it to be able to access the network. Again, you will know if this is needed by the user manual/technical support site for the program/game you are trying to run.

For most people, myself included, the Windows firewall is more than enough as long as you have a good Anti-Malware/Anti-Spyware program installed, like Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG for example.

[Fenor]

The advanced options normally don't need to be used in most cases, but sometimes they need to be used to open ports to allow programs to work correctly, like the download utilities for game clients like Blizzard's World of Warcraft, NCSoft's Aion, etc. You will know when you need to use this, as the user manual and/or technical support site for the program/game you are trying to run will stipulate that you need to open those ports in the firewall.

You may also need to allow game executable (exe) files access to the network if you don't receive a popup warning asking you if you want to allow it to be able to access the network. Again, you will know if this is needed by the user manual/technical support site for the program/game you are trying to run.

For most people, myself included, the Windows firewall is more than enough as long as you have a good Anti-Malware/Anti-Spyware program installed, like Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG for example.

[Lumen]

Οk your answer was helpfull I have Microsoft security essentials too. I haven't played wow but i used to play L2 and now LOL. I don't think they need anything.

[Fenor]

I don't know about Lineage 2 (at least that what I think you are referring to with 'L2') but you definitely didn't need to forward anything for LoL.

[Lumen]

Υes i was refering to lineage.

Actually i read an article right now and i thought about putting it to this topic, as it is still a question about the firewall types:
http://www.microsoft...oose-a-firewall

To be clear i don't have any particular problem on my pc, i am just curious to learn. If someone can help me understand it would be great.
Thanks.

[godawgs]

Hi Lumen,

The Windows Firewall only monitors incoming traffic form the internet. 3rd party firewalls have the ability to monitor traffic inbound from the internet and traffic outbound to the internet.

See if this BleepingComputer Page will help answer your questions.

See the GeeksToGo Free Antivirus and Antispyware Software page. Go to the Free Firewalls heading to see the GeeksToGo recommendations.

[Lumen]

Τhank you for the link very much! I believe it will cover all my questions...if i have further questions i will write

[Lumen]

Well i am conected wireless to my brother's network. He is the administrator. We do not share any devices nor files. I am conected to public network.
In the article on the link it says that there are two types of firewalls: Hardware and personal. It is sais that hardware firewalls are recomended for networks. Both me and my brother are using just the windows firewall. How is hardware install and how does it work? Should you then turn off your windows firewall? I also read somewhere that there is a difference between hardware and software hardware and this confused me a little bit.
By the way..can my brother invade in my pc and see what am i doing and other stuff like that?

My English is actually bad and it took me a long time to translate the text in the link. That's why i didn't respond imediatelly.
Thank you.

[Fenor]

Hardware firewalls are built into modems and routers, so you already have one of them in place, and you don't need to do anything about it unless you discover you have issues access certain games/downloaders/etc, in which case you would need to forward ports to the computer in question.

For right now, you don't need to do anything, and no, you don't need to turn off your windows firewall when using a hardware firewall, because they both work independent of each other. The hardware firewall protects against intrusions into your home network at all, whereas the software (aka Windows) firewall is used for things that get passed the hardware firewall, stopping them from entering your computer.

***If your brother really wanted to get into your system, he probably could just by using your computer when you are not around, so I wouldn't worry about firewalls and such for a situation like that.

Edited by Fenor, 24 April 2012 - 02:10 PM.