Fancy answer, but plain wrong. A firewall is a wall that prevents, or at least resists, a fire from spreading from one part of a building to another. Like a brick wall in the middle of a wooden house.
This is the same function as a network firewall has -- substitute "fire" with "bad traffic".
Which you should have done.
Why is a firewall called a firewall? Where does the name come from?
Thanks
In the old days, before asbestos, a wall of fire would stop most intruders.
You also have the option of searching Google.com for the answer.
The general idea (from most litterature I've seen) is that a firewall is used in buildings to prevent a fire from spreading. There is also the old trains with a firewall between the engine and the passengers to keep them safe. It's a wall that'll keep you safe, or safer, from fires.
You could say a network firewall works the same way in that it prevents the "fires" on the Internet from reaching your computer, or inside your network.
Actually, a firewall, while having more than one definition, was described by both of us in non-technical terms. A firewall, or wall of firewall, also prevents intruders, at least it works with most animals in most parts of the world :) I was thinking much older than modern building methods or common structure buildings.
"NoSpam" wrote in news:41bf1260$0$29770$ed2e19e4@ptn- nntp-reader04.plus.net:
It should answer all of your questions and make thinks clear like it did for me.
Ah, come on Duane, he wanted to know why it CALLED a firewall, not what the definition of a firewall is.
Leythos wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news-server.columbus.rr.com:
The earliest computer firewalls were simple routers. The term "firewall" comes from the fact that by segmenting a network into different physical subnetworks, they limited the damage that could spread from one subnet to another - just like firedoors or firewalls.
What, the link didn't answer the OP's question?
Not that some of the fine and outstanding people who frequent this NG couldn't answer the boy's question but why reinvent the wheel? ;-)
I get tired of typing all the time and will do a cut and paste if the opportunity presents itself. ;-)
Duane :)
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