How to Use Vista Firewall

Windows Vista is a popular operating system released by Microsoft as a followup to its other popular operating system, Windows XP. Windows Vista adds several new features to XP, including a firewall that is built into the operating system. Windows Firewall was also introduced to XP in the Service Pack 2 upgrade. Using Windows Firewall is an important first line of defense for computer security.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows Vista, any version

1. Click "Start," then "Control Panel."

2. Double-click on "Security Center." The icon looks like a little shield split up into four colors.

3. Click "Windows Firewall" on the menu on left side of the Security Center window. If the Windows Firewall bar is green, it means Firewall is turned on and using the recommended settings. If it is red and displays a shield with an X through it, Firewall may not be on or set to the recommended settings.

4. Click "Turn Windows Firewall On or Off" on the left side of the window to enable Windows Firewall if it is turned off.

5. Click "Update Settings Now" if Firewall is turned on but warning you that it is not using the recommended settings.

6. Configure Windows Firewall further by clicking "Change Settings." The general options in the first tab are to have the firewall off, on or on and blocking all incoming connections.

7. Choose to block all connections if you access less-secure networks, or turn it off if you are running a different firewall program.

8. Use the Exceptions tab to allow exceptions for certain programs through Windows Firewall. Any program that must access the Internet, such as an online computer game, instant messenger or BitTorrent client, might not function properly if Windows Firewall blocks it, so you can set such programs as exceptions.

9. Use the Advanced tab to set Windows Firewall to work only on certain Internet connections. For instance, you might want to run Firewall when using a LAN connector to connect to the Internet. You might be connected directly to a modem, but perhaps you don't want to use Firewall when you are using a wireless connection, since your wireless router is likely to have its own security features in place.

10. Click "Apply" before exiting the window to save any changes you make.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have never altered your Windows Firewall settings before, chances are it is already running properly. Sometimes Windows Firewall will block programs that you want to access the Internet; Windows will notify you when a program is blocked, and you will be able to make an exception for the program at that time. If you run your own third-party firewall program, you may want to disable Windows Firewall, since multiple firewalls running at the same time can cause conflicts.