Public network access server having a user-configurable firewall

Abstract

A user-configurable firewall and method in which a user-changeable security setting for a client computer is maintained by an access server through which a user accesses the public network. The user-changeable security setting can be used to specify which outside computers or network devices may access the client computer and what type of access to the client computer is allowed. If an attempt to access the client computer is made, the user-configurable security setting is checked to determine if the attempted access is allowed by the current security setting. If the attempted access is allowed by the current security setting, access is allowed to the client computer; otherwise, access is not allowed. If the user changes the user-configurable security setting, the changes to the user-configurable security setting are provided to the access server.

1 . A method of controlling access to a client computer connected to a network by a server, the method comprising:
 maintaining at the server a user-changeable security setting for the client computer; and   selectively granting access to the client computer from the network if allowed by the user-changeable security setting.   
     
     
         2 - 45 . (canceled)