internet

[Continued from Firewalls: Hardware and Software Solutions , Part 1] On the software only side of things, there are quite a few possibilities available for a software firewall. These all install directly on your PC and use the internal resources ... like any other program run on your system (such as memory, disk space, CPU cycles, and so on). Software firewalls do a good job of preventing both inbound and outbound traffic and are easy to install and configure. First up is Zone Labs Zone Alarm. The download is free as is the firewall product itself. They will try to get you to buy the Pro version ... (view more)

I was thinking about how far the internet has come since I started blogging a few years ago (over yonder at Blogger back then), and decided it was time to show some love for the websites that I wonder how I ever lived without. I know I've left great ... sites out, so it's up to you to fill in the blanks. Anyway, without further ado, here are the top 10 websites that have changed the internet for me: 1. Google. For me, Google = Internet. What good would the net be without this search engine? Google is so ubiquitous, that we sometimes forget about it. It's just the search box, right? No! It's the ... (view more)

In a previous article, I detailed the hidden dangers your kids face on MySpace.com . Specifically: the web site's age verification system requires no proof, thus making it easier for sexual predators to access your child's personal information. Just ... recently, MySpace landed itself in a lawsuit. A 14-year-old girl has sued the company because she was sexually assaulted by a 19-year-old man who lied about his age and status on his MySpace.com profile in order to "gain access" to her web page. According to the lawsuit, MySpace has "absolutely no meaningful protections or security measures to ... (view more)

A firewall is a barrier to keep destructive forces away from your computer. In fact, that's why it's called a firewall. Its job is similar to a physical firewall that keeps a fire from spreading from one area to the next. Firewalls use one or more ... of three methods to control traffic flowing in and out of the network: Packet filtering: Packets (small chunks of data) are analyzed against a set of filters. Packets that make it through the filters are sent to the requesting system and all others are discarded. Proxy service: Information from the Internet is retrieved through the firewall and then ... (view more)

As North America becomes increasingly dependent on the Internet, WiFi is becoming a household term across the continent. City planners are building WiFi into future plans, and in many U.S. cities wireless Internet can be reached from the average ... cafe. What is WiFi, exactly? The name WiFi was originally coined by the company WiFi Alliance as a descriptor of its Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). However, as wireless technology and the name itself have become so popular, WiFi is no longer a licensed term, and it even appears in recent versions of Webster's dictionary. By engaging anything ... (view more)

Private Folder Microsoft Private Folder 1.0 is a useful tool for you to protect your private data when your friends, colleagues, kids or other people share your PC or account. With this tool, you will get one password protected folder called 'My ... Private Folder' in your account to save your personal files. The following hardware and software are required to run Microsoft Private Folder 1.0: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Professional Edition and Media Center Edition with SP2, Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution video adapter and monitor. Please note: Microsoft Private Folder 1.0 is ... (view more)

Internet Logger Save both incoming and outgoing Internet traffic (all data sent or received by browser) on the hard drive for future use. http://www.softx.org/internet-logger.html Easy 2 Share Sharing files between computers can be daunting even for ... experienced PC users. It doesn't help that Windows scatters the menus and wizards you need for networking seemingly at random all over the operating system. GlobeSoft has created easy2share to alleviate many of the technical issues and to overcome the apprehension around sharing information between computers connected through a network or ad hoc ... (view more)

One of my all-time favorite multi-purpose optimization utility programs just got a major update. Of course, I'm talking about the release of WinOptimizer Platinum version 3: and there's plenty to talk about. To recap: What is WinOptimizer Platinum? ... For years, millions of users have depended on Ashampoo's award-winning WinOptimizer series to keep their PCs clean and running smoothly and efficiently. As one user put it, "[WinOptimizer Platinum 3] gives you all the maintenance tools that should have been included with Windows in the first place. And it's all so easy to use, you don't need a ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Jennifer' writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently received an email from an unknown person via Yahoo. I think I understand how the email got to me but I'm not sure. Would the email headers help to tell me this? I'd really like to know ... how this person sent me the email. Can you help? " My response: To sum it up the answer briefly: email headers are often forged by spammers, so it's plausible that the email you received came from somewhere else (other than what is stated in the email header). Having said that, most big-name ISP (Internet Service Providers) have an onslaught of ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader "Jessie" writes: " Dear Dennis, I play Yahoo pinochle quite often. Someone recently told me that they could track my ISP from inside the game room; I assume this could be done by clicking on my name while I'm in the game room. ... What kind of program would they use so that I can block my ISP to it and/or track their ISP? Thank you. " My response: Just to clarify: ISP means Internet Service Provider. For example: Bell Sympatico provides DSL Internet access to its customers. On the other hand: IP means Internet Protocol. Additionally, an IP Address is a number (like a "mailing ... (view more)