Firewalls - What features do I need

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 A firewall is a hardware- or software-based solution that examines data as it enters your computer from an outside source, making sure you've authorized the data transfer. Many firewall products also monitor all data as it leaves your computer, checking again for proper authorization. You can think of a firewall as a border guard that must check the authorization papers of anyone coming into or going from the computer.
 
 Several companies manufacture firewall products, but you'll have two main types to choose from: hardware and software.
 
 Hardware firewalls. If you're willing to spend to 0, you'll want to strongly consider a hardware firewall option. Hardware firewalls provide stronger overall protection than most software firewalls. Also, hardware firewalls are typically easier to maintain. A hardware firewall also doesn't occupy system resources on your computer, as a software firewall will.
 
 Hardware firewalls are a nice option for small networks, especially those sharing an Internet connection. You can often use a hardware firewall/router combination on the system, letting it protect the network as a whole. The hardware firewall may be a less expensive option than running software firewalls on each individual computer on the network.
 
 Several companies provide hardware firewall options, including Linksys (www.linksys.com) and NetGear (www.netgear.com), through some of their router products for small, home-based networks.
 
 Software firewalls. If you don't want to spend the money on a hardware firewall, several software firewall options will work well, and they come in a variety of price points . . . even free.
 
 Software firewalls typically are more flexible than hardware firewalls if you need to tweak the settings to meet your needs. They also work well in a variety of system configurations; hardware router firewalls work best on a small network. A software firewall is a good option for a notebook computer, too, letting you easily transport your firewall protection wherever you use your notebook.