Yes. If you have multiple network connections on any of your computers, you should turn on the firewall for each connection. If you're running Windows XP SP2, Windows Firewall is turned on automatically and it should not interfere with common tasks like file and print sharing. If you're not running Windows XP Service Pack 2, Internet Connection Firewall can interfere with file and print sharing and prevent your computer from finding other network devices.

All computers in your home network should be protected by a firewall. A firewall helps to prevent the spread of viruses or worms across your network if they infect one computer. A computer on the network could also become infected through a separate Internet connection, such as a laptop that is used on your home network and on public networks. Or, a virus could be introduced to a computer on your network through software installed from a CD or floppy disk.

Yes. If you have more than one computer in a home or small-office network, you should protect every computer in the network. Turning on Windows Firewall or another firewall on every connection will help prevent the spread of a virus from one computer to another in your network if one of your computers becomes infected. However, if you open an infected e-mail attachment, the firewall won't block it and it can infect your computer. You should install an antivirus program as well.

Yes, both Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional have the built-in Internet Connection Firewall. The steps to turn on the firewall are identical. You might not be logged on as an administrator. You must be logged on as an administrator to turn on Internet Connection Firewall. When you first set up your Windows XP computer, the procedure guides you through the process of establishing an administrator account and password.

Yes. To set up multiple computers to connect through your broadband provider from off-campus requires a router. However, some routers are incompatible with our VPN software. The current version of Cisco's VPN software available from this web site supports Apple's Airport Basestation and Basestation Extreme. Please contact your computer support liaison at Haverford for additional information and suggestions.

Yes. Wired and Wireless routers have controls that will allow you to see who is logged into your home network. The AOL for Broadband Compatible routers can all be accessed through a web browser on your attached PC using the IP numbers supplied by the manufacturer(192.168.1.1 for Linksys, 192.168.0.1 for Netgear, 192.168.0.1 for Actiontec). For other router brands or models you should consult their instructions or contact the manufacturer.

Yes. Windows XP includes a technology called WPA (discussed above), which enforces a license Microsoft has been using for years (that is, you're supposed to buy one copy of Windows for each computer). However, there are ways in which you can minimize your costs. If you only need Home Edition, and you qualify for the upgrade version, buy two copies of that. Or use Microsoft's new Additional Family License (AFL) option to get 8 to 12 percent off the cost of the second installation.

Windows Home Server provides unprecedented simplicity for home users and it was designed to solve problems for households with multiple PCs. More than just storage, Windows Home Server uniquely provides a single pool of storage for your content and pre-defined shared folders, such as "Music" or "Photos," making it easier to organize and find your files.

Yes. Windows XP users who want different features in a firewall may use a hardware firewall or a software firewall from another company. For special offers on antivirus and firewall packages, visit our Security software: Downloads and trials page. No. Running multiple software firewalls is unnecessary for typical home computers, home networking, and small-business networking scenarios.

A firewall will help protect a computer on a wireless network, but will not restrict access to the network itself. You should configure your wireless network to use a network key using either Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) or wired equivalent privacy (WEP). For more information, see How to keep others from hijacking your home wireless network or consult the manual for your wireless networking devices.

Windows Firewall monitors all network traffic on the connections for which it is enabled. The firewall keeps track of all communications that have originated from your computer, and it prevents unsolicited traffic from reaching your computer. If necessary, the firewall dynamically opens ports and allows your computer to receive traffic that you have specifically requested, such as a Web page for which you have clicked the address.

Windows Firewall serves as the primary defense against a variety of computer worms that are transmitted over the network. A computer worm is similar to a virus, but is self-contained and can spread without the help of other programs. The Internet Connection Firewall helps to protect your computer by hiding it from external users and preventing unauthorized connections to your computer.

Windows Firewall in Windows XP cannot protect against viruses that spread through e-mail, such as Trojan horses, which masquerade as helpful or benign software and trick you into opening or downloading them. To help protect against viruses, try Windows Live OneCare The firewall cannot prevent spam or pop-up ads. To help protect against spyware and other unwanted software, try Windows Defender. Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista and it is available as a free download for Windows XP SP2.

You will hear us make a statement, "if you are parked in front of your computer all day long you won't make any money. You make money from talking with people." However the biggest responsibility in our opinion that all members have is to recognize important information and to write it down onto a Have or Want Sheet. You can then delegate it to someone to place on the service and its working for you. To write down a Want is about 14 seconds, a Have is from 1-3 minutes.

Yes, and I often do. You get a break in pricing with more than one computer because I can run part of the service in parallel. Sign up for a FREE REPORT Three Steps to a Clean PC. It'll show you short, simple steps you can take to keep your computer secure and free running. One more way to keep you updated - Sign up for the FREE Forum at Computer-quickfix.com.

Yes. PCguard can be installed on up to three computers within your household. However, please note that our technical support team are unable to assist with problems specifically related to home networking.

The Motorola SURFboard cable modems (with the exception of the SBG900) do not have a firewall built in. If you are experiencing issues loading web pages, you may want to check your computer for any third-party Internet security software.

Versions of Windows before Windows XP did not come with a built-in firewall. If you have a computer that runs an earlier version of Windows, such as Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Windows 98, you should get a firewall and install it. Many wireless access points and broadband routers for home networking have built-in hardware firewalls, which provide good protection for most home networks. A software firewall is a good choice for single computers.

If you're running Windows XP SP2, Windows Firewall is already turned on. For more information, see Understanding Windows Firewall.

To get more help with issues related to setting up a firewall on your computer or home network, see the Protect Your PC Support page or Use the Internet Connection Firewall. To work correctly, some programs must have specific ports open so that traffic can pass through the firewall. See How to Open Ports in the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall for a list of some of these programs and the solutions for them.

You should be logging into the RICHMOND domain. Each group of computers are connected to v-lans. The V-lans can see all the computers on the network. If you go to find computers from your task bar in windows you can type in the computer name and Network Neighborhood will locate the computer you seek.

Anyone who uses Windows Defender can join a worldwide network of users who help discover and report new threats. Microsoft analysts review these reports and develop new software definitions to guard against the new threats, so that everyone is better protected.

If you already have a non-Microsoft firewall on your computer, you should continue to use it. If you do not have a firewall, then you have a choice. If you want a simple firewall that is easy to configure, then you should use the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall.

Choose the technology you will use for the network. The main technologies to choose between are standard Ethernet, phone-line-based, power-line-based and wireless.

Yes. If you install the connection on a computer that is running Windows XP, you can do this by enabling “Network Sharing”. If you do not have a machine that is running Windows XP, you can purchase a program called “WinProxy” will allow you to share your connection. Only Macs connected to a home network. We are looking into a Mac compatible solution and will let you know when it is available.