Firewall question..new user

[Wie Gehts]

New macbook and broadband connection. I'm the sole user...not connected by wireless.

Should I be turning on firewall? If I do, can I leave it on whenever I download
software? Or do I need to turn it off before I do.

When I was on dialup, I didn't really think about it but now I'm a bit concerned. I have the computer save passwords so I don't have to keep looking them up whenever I visit a site that requires my password.

Thanks

 

[swiftaw]

Turn your firewall on, it shouldn't stop you downloading files etc from the web.

 

[Wie Gehts]

Groovy...thanks

 

[aliquis-]

You could also use littlesnitch to protect against outgoing connections aswell. But that might cause you some headaches with software which you want to be able to do it, like P2P-apps, games and such. Depends on how comfortable you are with using it, but you can always turn it of if you don't get it to work right for you.

 

[Wie Gehts]

Thanks

Hang on, now I'm confused. I can't find any "on or off" for this firewall thing.

Mac help takes you to network prefs but I don't see anything. Thres a firewall
menu in file sharing but, again..no on or off.

Does this mean firewall is automatic? Now I'm confused.


OK...I had another look in file sharing prefs. Apparently there is a checklist of things that I can check off that thefirewall will let pass. I assume (and it looks like) these are all "safe" things for mac operation. But most seem to have to do with file sharing which I'm not doing.
The only thing that was checked off by default is "network time".

Hmmmm everything has mostly to do with file sharing with other computers, which I don't use use, wireless remote and ftp. So I guess network time and maybe ftp is all I need checked.

Any suggestions with this?