Firewall and user accounts questions

[LetsBeHopeful]

Greetings from the library!

My Macbook has arrived, and since I have time to waste until the modem comes I figured I'd mess around with the Macbook and setup what I can in the meantime. I have some questions relating to the firewall and user accounts.

1. When I select "block all incoming connections" under the firewall options, the "stealth mode" box gets checked but grayed out. The box being grayed out confuses me. When I select "block all incoming connections" is "stealth mode" on or off? Why would that box be checked but grayed out?

2. I've seen it suggested that you should use one user account only for administrator purposes and another for daily use but not administrator purposes. Do you yourself do this?

3. When my modem arrives I'll have to configure it in Safari. Will I be able to setup my modem and use the internet with a non-administrator account?

 

[angelwatt]

1. Yes, stealth mode is enabled when blocking all incoming traffic.

2. Yes, I do.

3. Yes, just need to know the router login.

 

[LetsBeHopeful]

Hello again. If I'm using a standard account or any non-administrator account, will I be able to use software update or will I have to log in to an administrator account to use software update?

If I can use software update while using a standard account, will running it under that only install the update on that specific account?

If I have several user accounts and install the updates under the administrator account, does that install the update for all user accounts or just the administrator account?

 

[angelwatt]

Software updates are done for all accounts no matter if they are initiated by a standard account or admin. An admin account credentials will be needed to do the update though, but you can be logged in as a standard account when doing so. I do it all the time.