Help - Firewall keeps on turning itself off.

Terrysdelight

When I log on to my laptop, a message comes up saying my firewall is not on - pc at risk etc:eek: . I immediately turn it on, only to find that it's shut itself off again.

My son uses my laptop a lot - he's 8 years old - and says that he doesn't turn it off. Could it be happening automatically - something to do with the online games he plays with?

Any help/advice appreciated.

Many thanks
Terri

Belnahua

Are you using Windows standard firewall or a 3rd party firewall.

If you're using a 3rd party firewall, just occasionally windows gets ahead of itself and says the firewall is off, when in fact it's just starting!

If you try and turn on Windows firewall, the 3rd party one immediately will turn it off again.

Terrysdelight

Am confused now. I think I use Windows standard firewall. I've got Avistar virus protestor. I've never downloaded another firewall.

Many thanks
terri

moneymass

Terrysdelight wrote: »

Am confused now. I think I use Windows standard firewall. I've got Avistar virus protestor. I've never downloaded another firewall.

Many thanks
terri

I immediately turn it on

(assuming winXP)

How do you turn it on? By clicking on the red shield (bottom right corner icon) and opening up the windows 'Security Centre'.

If so that is Windows' standard firewall. If you are enabling it (and you DON'T have a third party software firewall e.g. zonealarm etc) and it switches off again then I would run a virus scan / rootkit scan.

You should run a third party firewall unless you have a dedicated hardware firewall that is infront of your PC and/or router that has good configuration options. Windows firewall is very poor.