Firewalls and Web-filters | Español |
Firewalls.
Web filters.
Firewalls
After blocking out viruses and spyware, the next step is to install what is known as a firewall, a program that prevents “hackers” from invading your computer through your internet connection. This is especially true if you have “broadband”—a high-speed connection to the Internet via cable, DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or fiber optic.
Whatever type of broadband you use, an enterprising hacker will succeed in gaining access to your hard drive to wreak havoc if you are not protected. One option is to purchase a router with a built-in firewall that prevents anyone from gaining access to your computer without permission. It is also a good idea to have a personal firewall on your computer because some programs may not be picked up by the router’s firewall. Thankfully, many of the latest operating systems, such as Windows XP and Vista, come with reasonably effective built-in firewalls that work without you having to go through complicated configuration procedures.
For those with older operating systems, there are a number of software firewalls available at download sites, including some that are free for home use, such as Zone Alarm, one of the most popular such programs. The drawback is that if you are sharing your Internet connection between several computers on a home network, the free version will prevent some of the computers from communicating with the Internet and even with the other computers on your network. The only solution is to pay for the professional version of the product.
Another solution to the high cost of firewall programs is to purchase a “router” for your home network. Routers not only act as “hubs” that keep all the computers on your home network connected, they can also manage your internet connection, acting as a firewall and filtering the web sites that all the computers on your network can access. Routers with these capabilities include:
Web filters
Of all the threats on the Internet, probably none causes more anxiety for parents than the possibility that their children might come across a pornographic website. The fear is warranted, as data from toptenreviews suggests:
There are scores of web filters promising to protect children while online from everything from pornography to sites promoting racial hatred and violence. There are so many such programs that the difficulty for parents is figuring out which to use. Some programs come with so many controls and functions that configuring them and reading all the reports they generate about your child’s Internet activity can be time-consuming. The good news is that reviewers have given most of the top programs high ratings for effectiveness. In fact, some programs may be overly protective, at times blocking access to innocuous sites and documents.
Among the most highly rated web filtering programs, according to toptenreviews, are Content Protect, Cybersitter, Net Nanny, Cyber Patrol, FilterPak and McAfee Parental Controls – all of which earned three-star ratings on a scale of four. No program earned a four-star rating.
There are some low-cost options that do a reasonably good job, such as: