Security

This FAQ contains answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about our Broadband Firewall.

1. How do I change my Broadband Firewall settings?
2. How does the Broadband Firewall work?
3. Will it cost me extra to use the Broadband Firewall?
4. Do changes to my Broadband Firewall settings happen immediately?
5. Can I create a custom filter to select exactly which ports are blocked?
6. Will the Broadband Firewall give me better security than a router using network address translation?
7. Is there any benefit to running a software firewall and Broadband Firewall at the same time?
8. Will the Broadband Firewall slow my Internet speeds?
9. My FTP access is blocked, could this be caused by my Broadband Firewall?
10. My VPN connection is blocked, could this be caused by my Broadband Firewall?
11. What should I do if one of my applications is being blocked by the firewall, and switching to the 'Low', setting doesn't unblock it?
12. Will Broadband Firewall provide me with absolute security?

1. How do I change my Broadband Firewall settings?
The Broadband Firewall settings are in the Member Centre under Connection Settings. Go to the Broadband Firewall settings.
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2. How does the Broadband Firewall work?
The Broadband Firewall works by restricting access to your computer or network based on port numbers. See our Broadband Firewall article for full details.
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3. Will it cost me extra to use the Broadband Firewall?
The Broadband Firewall is a free service we provide on all our broadband accounts.
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4. Do changes to my Broadband Firewall settings happen immediately?
The change will be made straight away on our network. In order for you to see the changes, you must restart your Internet connection.
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5. Can I create a custom filter to select exactly which ports are blocked?
No, it isn't possible to customise our firewall settings. If you require a more stringent set of firewall rules, we would recommend running your own firewall in addition to the Broadband Firewall.
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6. Will the Broadband Firewall give me better security than a router using network address translation?
Both our Broadband Firewall and Network Address Translation are effective means of securing computers and networks. However, if you were to reset your hardware, it is possible that you may lose your protection, whereas the Broadband Firewall is running externally to your own network. You can run the two together.
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7. Is there any benefit to running a software firewall and Broadband Firewall at the same time?
Any Internet traffic blocked by our Broadband Firewall will stop before it reaches a software firewall you may be running. However you can choose to add extra restrictions and if you are running a computer that connects to different networks, you can safely leave the software firewall running.
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8. Will the Broadband Firewall slow my Internet speeds?
No. However, it is possible that you may find some applications are blocked, which may require you to reconfigure the firewall. If your connection is experiencing connection attempts from an external source, you may find that your connection is faster because your router or modem is no longer having to deal with Internet traffic blocked by the Broadband Firewall.
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9. My FTP access is blocked, could this be caused by my Broadband Firewall?
If your FTP software is using Active Mode then this may well be the cause for FTP problems. Try using Passive Mode in your FTP software to eliminate the problem. If you have to use Active Mode, then use the 'Low' basic setting in the Broadband Firewall.
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10. My VPN connection is blocked, could this be caused by my Broadband Firewall?
It is possible that VPN connections will be blocked by the Broadband Firewall, although it will depend on what type of VPN you are using.

If your VPN appears to be blocked, lower your firewall setting, restart and retest your connection.

Please note that Broadband Plus and Broadband Your Way Option 1 accounts are not designed to support advanced protocols such as VPN. If your VPN appears to be blocked, change your firewall setting to 'Low', restart and retest your connection.
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11. What should I do if one of my applications is being blocked by the firewall, and switching to the 'Low', setting doesn't unblock it?
You can test if the firewall is causing the problem by changing to the 'Low' setting restarting your connection, and retesting the application. If you switch the firewall off, and the problem still happens, the firewall won't be causing the problem.
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12. Will Broadband Firewall provide me with absolute security?
Unfortunately not. No firewall is 100% effective. However, the Broadband Firewall will go a long way to making your connection secure and will deal with the majority of potential issues. We would always recommend using anti virus and anti spam software on your own computer or network. If security is a major concern you should also use a hardware firewall solution that you can configure to your own requirements.
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Page last updated 21st August 2007