Why do I need a firewall?

[frank_fran]

If your computer is not protected when you connect to the Internet, hackers can gain access to personal information on your computer. They can install code on your computer that destroys files or causes malfunctions. They can also use your computer to cause problems on other home and business computers connected to the Internet. A firewall helps to screen out many kinds of malicious Internet traffic before it reaches your computer.
Some firewalls can also help to prevent other people from using your computer to attack other computers without your knowledge. Using a firewall is important no matter how you connect to the Internet—with a dial-up modem, cable modem, or digital subscriber line (DSL or ADSL).




Aside from a firewall.. are their any other alternatives to protecting yourself?

[rubbio_young]

From end-user point of view:

with application based rule, you will be asked each and every time a new apps is trying to connect to a port that's not yet in rulesets. thats mean annoying popups each time a new application try to connect.

with port based rule (like softperfect personal firewall), you only asked onces after the program is installed. and after you setup all the rules at once and only once, your firewall sits there without asking you another question.

so what...

with too many 'annoying' popups by application based firewall, end-users tend to ignore whatever the firewall is warning about and they tend to 'automatically' press the 'Yes' or OK button without understanding the risk, or without even read the warning at all.

so, the application based firewall tends to become useless in the long term and also an administration headache for people like me, managing dozens of friends, families and clients' personal computer / laptop.


with port based firewall, i only need to setup the rules once and never mind about what application using what ports.

off course, the downside is, virus/worms/badware/malware can still go wild and using the internet on those allowed ports without the user know about it.

[angel_ivy]

Prevention is better than cure
Rather have headache later on.. better put up firewall to prevent any bad things happen to your server.

[SiberForum]

I suppose that woukld be enough to read several wiki articles to understand why you need that stuff for

[arun_hosting]

Prevention is better than cure
Rather have headache later on.. better put up firewall to prevent any bad things happen to your server.

Like so many things in life! great answer and wonderful logic.

[BuckBennett]

For the security of the server, it is very reliable to install firewall to protect something useful from attack.

[Gryal]

To secure a server firewall is the most. Server without firewall means waiting to get hacked

[alexjems41]

A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that filters all network traffic between your computer, home network, or company network and the Internet. It is our position that everyone who uses the Internet needs some kind of firewall protection.

[paulmarry11]

Firewall is use to networking and also security to your home or office computer and also company and protect in network traffic

[SWATI]

If firewall is not installed to your pc then when you gain access to the internet the hackers can try to hack your pc and destroy your personal data. according to my thinking the firewall is needed to secure our pc.