Software Firewalls

• Do I Need a Software Firewall?
• Configuring the Windows Vista Firewall
• Configuring the Windows XP Firewall
• URHnet Hardware Firewall Information

Do I Need a Software Firewall?

When connected to the Internet, it is a good idea to use a firewall to protect yourself from attacks against your computer. A firewall is either hardware or software, and blocks unauthorized access to your computer from the outside. All of URHnet is protected by a hardware firewall, but it is a good idea to install a personal software firewall as well, to protect your computer from attacks originating inside the UIUC network. If you use Microsoft Vista or Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, there is a firewall built into the operating system that you can use. Otherwise, you can install a firewall such as ZoneAlarm, a free software firewall.

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Configuring the Windows Vista Firewall

The Microsoft Vista firewall is designed to be easy to use while providing the security you need online.  It should be enabled automatically, use this guide to ensure that the firewall is turned on and protecting your computer from malicious attacks.

Using the below pictures for reference, start by clicking on the Windows icon and selecting Control Panel from the Start Menu.

Once you're in the Control Panel window, click on Security.

In the Security window, click on Windows Firewall.

Finally, verify that the Windows Firewall is on. 

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Configuring the Windows XP Firewall

The Microsoft Windows XP firewall is designed to be easy to use while providing the security you need online. It is simple to enable, and will help protect your computer from malicious attacks.

NOTE: These instructions are provided for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2. To discover if you have XP with SP2 click here.

Start by opening your Control Panel from the Start menu.

Open the Security Center Control Panel. If your Control Panel is not in Category View, skip to classic view.

You should now see a window similar to the picture below. If the light next to Firewall is green and displays ON, you do not need to do anything further. Otherwise, click the icon labeled Windows Firewall.

In the window that appears, select On (recommended), and click OK to finish.

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