Essential guide to understanding and using firewalls to protect personal computers and network Easy to read introduction to network security device Understand the most frequently used threats firewalls are designed to protect against Learn basic firewall architectures, practical deployment scenarios, and general management and troubleshooting tasks Includes configuration, deployment, and management checklists Increased reliance on the Internet in both work and home environments has radically increased the vulnerability of computing systems to attack from various threats. A full understanding of what firewalls can do, how they can be fully utilized, and the differences among firewall types can make the difference between continued network integrity and complete network or computer failure. Basic Firewall introduces readers to firewall concepts and explores various commercial and open the firewall implementation source - including Cisco, Linksys, and Linux - allowing network administrators and small office / home office computer users to effectively choose and configure their devices.