In the computer world, firewalls help prevent hackers from having unauthorized access to computers over the Internet. For our customers who use a high-speed Internet connection (DSL or cable modem), we highly recommend the use of a firewall to protect against unauthorized access to your computer.

Computers using high-speed access to the Internet are vulnerable to unauthorized access because their connection is always on. This convenient feature of high-speed Internet access always leaves a window open to the world wide web. Fortunately, a firewall puts bars on that window.

For customers who dial-up to the Internet, the risk of unauthorized access is not as great because of the temporary nature and the slower speed of the connection. However, installing a software firewall like ZoneAlarm (see below) on a computer using a dial-up connection will make it more secure and not hinder its on-line performance.

What's unauthorized access? An example would be a criminal hacking into your computer via your Internet connection to steal financial information regarding your bank accounts and credit cards. Another example would be a hacker breaking into your computer to send spam messages. This practice unfortunately is becoming a more common problem.

Firewalls come in the form of both hardware (an example would be a router) and software. For customers who plan to connect multiple computers to the Internet, we recommend a router with a built-in firewall. HunTel.net sells firewall-equipped routers that range in price from $75 for a standard model to $135 for a wireless version.

For customers who plan on connecting a single computer to the Internet, we recommend that firewall software be installed on the computer. There are several brands of firewall software for sale, but a program called ZoneAlarm is available free of charge on the Internet. It can be downloaded by visiting www.zonealarm.com. HunTel.net technicians have tested this software and found it to be a simple yet very effective program.

For customers who use Microsoft Windows XP, the operating system comes with a built-in firewall. However, we recommend that customers use a separate firewall for added protection. For more information regarding Windows XP’s firewall, visit www.microsoft.com.

No security measure is foolproof and HunTel.net cannot guarantee the safety of your computer and the data it contains. However, the installation of a firewall will make it much more difficult for unauthorized access to occur. Please note that firewalls DO NOT protect your computer from viruses, worms, and other Internet pests. A separate anti-virus program also needs to be installed.

Our technicians will be happy to work with you to install the right firewall for your computer or network. For more information on this important topic, please contact our tech support team. We can be reached at 533-5777 or 1-888-491-9115. You can also send us an e-mail at techsupport@huntel.net.

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