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If you have more than one computer, a router will let you share
resources among them. Any computer can print on a shared printer located
anywhere in the house. And your computers can share all kinds of
files—music, digital pictures, and documents. Keep all your digital
music on one computer, and listen to it anywhere in the house. Organize
and keep all of your family's digital pictures in one place, so it's
easy to find the ones you want and make backup copies on CD-R. Use extra
free space on one computer when another's hard drive starts to fill up.
Play network computer games either head-to-head, or on a team.
If you sign up for a cable or DSL
Internet connection, a router will allow all your computers to share the
line. Everyone can keep a private e-mail account and surf the web at the
same time. You can also play online computer games with friends and
opponents from around the world.
Plus, the same
router that lets you share Internet access also helps to protect your
computers from Internet threats.
What is a firewall and why do I need
one?
A firewall is a security
feature designed to help protect your computer and personal data
from unauthorized external access and alert you to immediate threats. A
firewall examines all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic and allows
only traffic that meets the security policies that were set up. Internet
traffic that does not meet these security policies is blocked by the
firewall and never reaches your computer. |
