Setting up

ZoneAlarm Pro's default settings are appropriate for most Internet users. To learn about the default settings and to find out if they are right for you, see the related topic Choosing security settings.

No! You don't need to close the Internet Lock unless you are going to leave your computer connected to the Internet and unattended for long periods. Use the Stop button only in emergency situations. For more information, see the related topic Using the Internet Lock and Stop button.

The ZA icon in the lower right corner of your screen tells you ZoneAlarm Pro is protecting you. The icon becomes a red and green traffic indicator whenever network traffic leaves or enters your computer.

Note Some applications access network resources in the background, so you may see network traffic occurring even when you aren't actively accessing the Internet.

If you see alerts, don't panic! Alerts help you configure your Program Control settings, and let you know that ZoneAlarm Pro is protecting you. To find out about the different types of alerts, and to learn how to respond to them, see the related topic Responding to alerts.

If you're on a home or business local network, see the related topic Setting up ZoneAlarm Pro for your network.

If you are an expert computer user and you want to take control of the details of your Internet security, see the related topic Customizing your security.