Do I need a firewall?

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A firewall prevents other people and computers from accessing (and possibly damaging) your system without your knowledge. For home and small business users, there are two choices: a software firewall or a hardware firewall. A software firewall is a program that is installed on your computer. It gives you feedback and asks you whether to allow certain actions. While effective, software firewalls can be invasive and annoying. They can also slow your computer down since they are always running on your computer.

A better choice for most home and small business users is a hardware firewall in the form of a broadband router. Your computer is hidden behind the router, and router's firewall protects you without asking you questions or using system resources. Whichever you choose, it is imperative that you have a firewall protecting your computer.