What are Pop-up Ads and how to block them

Pop-up ads (a.k.a popups) are windows that contain advertisements for various online services and usually show up when some websites are opened. They are meant to attract web traffic but can also collect email addresses for marketing purposes.




There are three common pop up types:

• 1. General browser pop-ups
• 2. Adware or Spyware pop-ups
• 3. Messenger Service advertisements

Pop-ups can become very irritating if they keep appearing each time you close them. Some users can end up with 10 popup browser windows while opening a single website. Also, these pop-ups can also contain Trojans, worms or Malwares that can seriously damage your computer system.

How to block pop-ups?

There are today useful ways to block reluctant pop-ups and prevent them from showing up while accessing the desired website.

Some toolbars come with this option and allow you, if you allow this option, to block General browser pop-ups from appearing. You can download them for free on the following links:

Google Toolbar

Download Link: http://toolbar.google.com/T4/index_pack_xp.html

WordIQ Toolbar

Download Link: http://www.brothersoft.com/wordiq-toolbar---free-popup-blocker-23154.html

Yahoo Companion Toolbar

Download Link: http://www.freepopupblockers.net/yahoo-companion.html


Recent Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers also allow you to block pop-ups but for those who do not have the new versions of these browsers, here is a list of pop-up blockers that you can download for free:

Pop-up Stopper

Download Link: http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

PopUp Blocker

Download Link: http://www.synergeticsoft.com/

CleanMyPC

Download Link: http://www.registry-cleaner.net/pop-up-blocker.htm

Alexa Toolbar
Download Link: http://www.alexa.com/site/download?p=old_link


Messenger Service advertisements can be avoided by installing a firewall application or make use of your Windows XP Firewall. You can hence either download Zone Alarm, which is a firewall application, or enable the firewall in Windows XP (SP2) by:

• 1. Clicking on the Start� button and go for Run� option.
• 2. Enter the command Firewall.cpl
• 3. Activate this option by choosing On� and click OK

This will block the ports required for Messenger Service data transmission.
Note: If you are using a third-party firewall application, do not enable the built-in Windows XP firewall.