Computer Freeware: Basic Firewall Problem

It pays to think about checking your firewall, as it may cause an unexpected problem. Because the internet provides a lot of system essential software for free, such as firewalls, adware and anti-virus programs. I guess it's no surprise that most of us like to try new or different software on our PC's. Easy to do: Search Google for a freeware site, and quickly download a suitable program and perhaps 1 or 2 similar ones for comparison. Extract and install your selected new software and you are done. If it's a popular system program, like a firewall or adware program, then they tend to run smoothly and even unnoticeable in the background. Only a few updates and upgrades, all with a minimal effort to maintain.

But how many of us really bother to open up such programs? as many of us would rather race to click on the internet to our favorite sites, social networks, forums, blogs, or e-mails, instant chat, etc, rather than click on our silent but essential programs. Recently I could not click fast enough to get on the internet - because I could not get on at all. The browser would not open up a web site - just a error page. For nearly an hour, after restarting the browser, re-entering passwords in internet explorer, still not much luck...

I was nearly at a loss, then that little "silent" icon on the task bar which has been there for a fair few years (longer than my previous two pc's), seemingly doing nothing, caught my eye. Only because I was staring like a thoughtless log at the screen. Yes it's the firewall program...
After opening the program, and scrolling through the dozens of displayed applications and files on my PC, some, including internet explorer were ticked as blocked. Hence no internet access....
I found out that the firewall was quickly accessed by my 3 year old girl as she liked the colour of the icon and the inside of the colorful program itself, which she thought was a software game. I was outside briefly when she "played" on the PC! In fact she probably clicked throughout the program more than what I ever had.

But because of this basic firewall problem, it pays to check your firewall manually on occasion, as with the other system programs. I guess many of us would benefit if we pay more attention internally to our basic but essential programs...

Computer Freeware: Basic Firewall Problem