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        Technical Stuff >> Technical Problems for the Webmaster >> newbie needs PC help
        
(Message started by: renny on Apr 20^th, 2004, 4:41pm)

Title: newbie needs PC help
Post by renny on Apr 20^th, 2004, 4:41pm

Hey anyone out there...I have now been online 6 whole months and I still have a million questions...if there is anyone with the time and patience, I would love a mentor! Just so you know, I am a college grad and basically a pretty quick learner, just am LOST here, it may as well be Chinese...and please no offense to anyone!
First issue is...how do I know if I even HAVE a firewall installed? I do pay some minor monthly fee for Norton Anti-virus, and do install new alerts or whatever on a regular basis. Anyone with a good sense of humor, feel free to jump in here...and THANX! karen

Title: Re: newbie needs PC help
Post by thomas on Apr 22^nd, 2004, 6:24pm

Hello....... Opus...... Dan........ Fubar, I ain't smart enough.

Title: Re: newbie needs PC help
Post by ExplodingEyeBall on May 14^th, 2004, 3:43pm

Renny,

I might be able to help a little bit.

Some versions of anti-virus software do include a firewall, although I'm not sure what version of Norton you have.

If you are just running a basic system with a default installation of Norton, you are most likely not protected by a firewall.

If you are running Windows XP on your system, you also have a internet connection firewall that comes with it but you have to turn it on yourself.

Check out this link for an explanation on how to turn it on.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/5min/5min-101.mspx

Some info that would help anyone who reads this to help you is needed.

What Operating system are you using?
What critical updates/service packs have you installed?
Are you on a network?
What version of Nton are you using?
What kind of internet connection do you have? Dial up/DSL/ISDN???

If you have any mor questions, I'll try my best to help.
I know that there are others here who are fellow computer geeks and they would be happy to help also.

Pat

Title: Re: newbie needs PC help
Post by alleyoop49 on Jun 26^th, 2004, 8:32am

Hi Renny,

Pat gave you some good info. If you are running Norton AV, you do not have a firewall. If, on the other hand, you are running Norton Internet Security, you do have a firewall included in that package. I don't believe that you are running NIS though, as you would be getting a lot of configuration pop-ups especially after the initial install.

If you followed Pat's link and turned on the XP firewall, you are defintely better off than with no firewall- but not much! Have you got a router? If not, you definitely need to install some sort of a third party software firewall- one that blocks incoming and outgoing traffic. Try www.zonelabs.com . It's a free download and easy to use. By the time you read this you'll probably already have solved your firewall problems. I just didn't see too many other posts here, so I decided to respond.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. There are a lot of people here who know a hell of a lot more about puters than I do, but I'll be glad to help in anyway I can. Feel free to email me if you want.

PFNAD,

Alley