This little tool allows you to configure the basic
firewall installed by default on your machine. It filters connection
attempts made from the outside, and blocks unauthorized ones. You will have
to configure it if you wish to allow incoming connections to your computer,
if you host specific services on it such as file sharing, Web Server,
etc.
This Wizard consists of the steps detailed below.
Open Up Ports, If Needed. If checked, uncheck the Everything (no firewall) box, and then check the boxes corresponding to the services you wish to make available to the outside world. If you wish to authorize a service which isn't listed here, click on Advanced to manually enter the port numbers to open and to control the logging of firewall messages.
This Won't Block You from Accessing the Net. Not checking a service in this list won't stop you from connecting to the Internet. It will only prevent people from the Internet connecting to that service on your machine. If you don't plan on hosting any services on your machine (common case for a desktop machine) just leave all boxes unchecked.
How to Disable the Firewall. On the other hand if you wish to disable the firewall and leave all services accessible from the outside, check Everything (no firewall), but please bear in mind that this is very insecure, and therefore not recommended.
Stay Informed of Connections
on your Machine.
The interactive firewall can warn you of
connection attempts on your machine by displaying alert popups through
the network applet. Check the Use Interactive
Firewall option to activate this feature. (Refer to Section 4.8, “Firewall Black/White Lists, etc.” for more details.)
Activate this option to be warned of possible malicious attempts to access your machine.
Next you are shown a checkbox for each port you have chosen to open during the previous step. Activating them will pop up a warning each time a connection attempt is made on those ports.
The next step consists of selecting the network interface connected to the Internet.
If you don't know which interfaces you have connected for the Internet, you can check the system network configuration (see Section 4.1.2, “Network Center: Reconfiguring and Monitoring Network Interfaces”). You can finally click to install the required packages, activate the firewall and enjoy your secure Internet connection.
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Managing Threats |
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Consult Section 4.8, “Firewall Black/White Lists, etc.” to learn how to manage threats and how to manage access black and white lists. |