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How do I plug it all in?
 


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How do I plug it all in?

If you are already using your cable modem or ADSL connection, your setup probably looks something like this:

Where the letters mean the following:

  • A: your computer, where you do all your work and games on
  • B: a small piece of network cabling between your computer and the cable or ADSL modem
  • C: the cable modem or ADSL modem
  • D: the cable or phone company's wires coming into your home.

After you've set up the firewall, it will look like this:

Where the letters mean the following:

  • A: still your computer, where you do all your work and games on, but now hiding behind a protective firewall
  • B: a small piece of network cabling between the firewall and the cable or ADSL modem
  • C: the cable modem or ADSL modem
  • D: the cable or phone company's wires coming into your home
  • E: the firewall computer, with two network cards
  • F: the second piece of network cable connected to the firewall

Most people, and definately companies, who have a firewall setup like this have more than one computer to protect. Of course, only one computer to protect is already enough to justify a firewall, but if you have more, it's usually enough to instlall a cheap hub or switch, like this:

F is the small home network with hun in this picture, and G the other computers you own.

We strongly suggest you get a cheap hub, even if you've got only one computer. Chances are, you'll soon have more, or friends coming over to play games. Hub cost nearly nothing anyway, and they usually make it far more easy to get the cables of your network correct.