Every computer that connects to the internet should be protected by a firewall, either a software firewall or a hardware firewall, although a hardware solution can provide better protection if it is configured right.

Many people have given negative views about the native firewall built into Microsoft Windows. The native firewall within Windows 7 is similar to the one found in Windows Vista and users have two choices, either keep the configuration basic or go  in-depth and configure the computer for a total lock down, personal I prefer to lock down the computer as much as possible.

If you have just installed Microsoft Windows 7 for the first time I recommend you enable the Windows Firewall before you connect your computer to the internet and start browsing the web.

To open the Windows Firewall click on Start > Click on Control Panel and click on Windows Firewall.  The below screen should now be displayed.

Windows Firewall will have default options already selected such as blocking all incoming connections to programs that are not on the list of allowed programs. What about outbound connections though? Maybe you should read through this and discover why incoming connections are a bigger concern.

If this is your first time using Windows 7 and the native Firewall then its likely you will not need to go much further with the configuration. Just ensure the Windows Firewall is enabled before you hit the web.

If you would like to add a program to have access to the internet locate and click on the link for Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall and you will be able to view and change what programs do have access to the internet.

When you see the above screen the programs and services listed are greyed out. To change their settings locate and click on the Change Settings buttons at the top of the screen. If you are unable to find your program on the list click on the Allow another program button to view or browse for more programs.

If you find your program on this list click on it and click Add. For example, if you connect your PC to a Microsoft XBox360 you may need to add the Windows Media Center to the firewall rules.

You can also change the notification settings for Windows Firewall and have it display specific warnings such as when  the firewall blocks a new program. To do this go back to the main Windows Firewall configuration screen and click on Change notification settings.

In here ensure both your private & public are enabled and it is probably advisable to use the alerts the firewall provides.

You can also view more advance firewall features that allows you to restrict specific programs or services to specific ports on the computer. For example HTTP uses port 80 so its best restricted to that port and that port only.

To get into the advanced settings go back to the main Windows Firewall screen and click on Advanced settings. If you do make a change in here though be careful not to knock your computer off-line, very easy to do by blocking something that’s required for internet access.