Firewall Issue with certain Applications...

Question

Hello
I have a strange but irritating problem. The funny thing is that it suddenly started happening barely a week ago.
My firewall is switched on. Every single time I start iTunes, one application that's having the issue, a question box pops up asking me:
"Do you want the application "iTunes.app" to accept incoming network connections?"
Now the issue is that in my advanced settings under Firewall I have added iTunes, and all the other apps that are doing the same thing, with the "Allow incoming connections" showing next to it. It's only happening with a few apps too which is the annoying thing.
So can someone please tell me why it keeps asking me if I've already allowed the apps in my firewall settings? Better yet, would someone help me get rid of it?
Thanks
Greg

Answer 1

I don't know how to solve your problem, but would ask one question that may make it all moot... are you using your machine behind a router? (If you are using your own wireless network at home, for example, the answer would be "yes".) If so, the firewall is completely unneeded, as unwanted incoming connections will never make it past the router. So, you might as well turn it off.
Cases where you might want the firewall (and I emphasize the "might" as Macs are pretty secure to begin with) would be:
• You're on an open wireless network where you can't predict who else might be on with you and what they might be up to.
• You're connected directly to some "dumb" network device like a cable modem, without a router in between you and the wider world, and thus will receive all manner of unwanted incoming connections.