diff --git a/config/action.d/dummy.conf b/config/action.d/dummy.conf
index 5737c372a..cc729fdd1 100644
--- a/config/action.d/dummy.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/dummy.conf
@@ -7,26 +7,26 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = touch /tmp/fail2ban.dummy
               echo "<init>" >> /tmp/fail2ban.dummy
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstop = rm -f /tmp/fail2ban.dummy
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = echo "+<ip>" >> /tmp/fail2ban.dummy
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/action.d/hostsdeny.conf b/config/action.d/hostsdeny.conf
index 7f63ff9b1..784fddc50 100644
--- a/config/action.d/hostsdeny.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/hostsdeny.conf
@@ -7,25 +7,25 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = touch <tmpfile>
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstop = rm -f <tmpfile>
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ actioncheck =
 actionban = IP=<ip> &&
             echo "ALL: $IP" >> <file>
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/action.d/ipfw.conf b/config/action.d/ipfw.conf
index 1828eef9f..5ae00cae3 100644
--- a/config/action.d/ipfw.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/ipfw.conf
@@ -8,28 +8,28 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = 
 
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstop = 
 
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ actioncheck =
 #          <time>  unix timestamp of the ban time
 # Values:  CMD
 #
-actionban = ipfw add deny tcp from <ip> to <localhost> <port>
+actionban = ipaction add deny tcp from <ip> to <localhost> <port>
 
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ actionban = ipfw add deny tcp from <ip> to <localhost> <port>
 #          <time>  unix timestamp of the ban time
 # Values:  CMD
 #
-actionunban = ipfw delete `ipfw list | grep -i <ip> | awk '{print $1;}'`
+actionunban = ipaction delete `ipfw list | grep -i <ip> | awk '{print $1;}'`
 
 [Init]
 
diff --git a/config/action.d/iptables.conf b/config/action.d/iptables.conf
index d9be0202f..de3646f63 100644
--- a/config/action.d/iptables.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/iptables.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ actionstart = iptables -N fail2ban-<name>
               iptables -A fail2ban-<name> -j RETURN
               iptables -I INPUT -p <protocol> --dport <port> -j fail2ban-<name>
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ actionstop = iptables -D INPUT -p <protocol> --dport <port> -j fail2ban-<name>
              iptables -F fail2ban-<name>
              iptables -X fail2ban-<name>
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = iptables -n -L INPUT | grep -q fail2ban-<name>
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ actioncheck = iptables -n -L INPUT | grep -q fail2ban-<name>
 #
 actionban = iptables -I fail2ban-<name> 1 -s <ip> -j DROP
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/action.d/mail-whois.conf b/config/action.d/mail-whois.conf
index fdff74aff..6055d98bf 100644
--- a/config/action.d/mail-whois.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/mail-whois.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ actionstart = echo -en "Hi,\n
               Regards,\n
               Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: started" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ actionstop = echo -en "Hi,\n
              Regards,\n
              Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ actionban = echo -en "Hi,\n
             Regards,\n
             Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/action.d/mail.conf b/config/action.d/mail.conf
index c33487b8e..61522b272 100644
--- a/config/action.d/mail.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/mail.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ actionstart = echo -en "Hi,\n
               Regards,\n
               Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: started" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ actionstop = echo -en "Hi,\n
              Regards,\n
              Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ actionban = echo -en "Hi,\n
             Regards,\n
             Fail2Ban"|mail -s "[Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>" <dest>
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/action.d/shorewall.conf b/config/action.d/shorewall.conf
index f0da70eee..446c8a4b2 100644
--- a/config/action.d/shorewall.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/shorewall.conf
@@ -7,25 +7,25 @@
 
 [Definition]
 
-# Option:  fwstart
+# Option:  actionstart
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the start of Fail2Ban.
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = 
 
-# Option:  fwend
+# Option:  actionend
 # Notes.:  command executed once at the end of Fail2Ban
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstop = 
 
-# Option:  fwcheck
-# Notes.:  command executed once before each fwban command
+# Option:  actioncheck
+# Notes.:  command executed once before each actionban command
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actioncheck = 
 
-# Option:  fwban
+# Option:  actionban
 # Notes.:  command executed when banning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = shorewall reject <ip>
 
-# Option:  fwunban
+# Option:  actionunban
 # Notes.:  command executed when unbanning an IP. Take care that the
 #          command is executed with Fail2Ban user rights.
 # Tags:    <ip>  IP address
diff --git a/config/fail2ban.conf b/config/fail2ban.conf
index 518c2ff46..8001285de 100644
--- a/config/fail2ban.conf
+++ b/config/fail2ban.conf
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ loglevel = 3
 logtarget = /var/log/fail2ban.log
 
 # Option: socket
-# Notes.: Set the socket file. This is used to communication with the
-#         daemon.
+# Notes.: Set the socket file. This is used to communicate with the daemon. Do
+#         not remove this file when Fail2ban runs. It will not be possible to
+#         communicate with the server afterwards.
 # Values: FILE  Default:  /tmp/fail2ban.sock
 #
 socket = /tmp/fail2ban.sock
diff --git a/config/jail.conf b/config/jail.conf
index 15befe5b4..b39853639 100644
--- a/config/jail.conf
+++ b/config/jail.conf
@@ -10,18 +10,29 @@
 
 [DEFAULT]
 
-# "ignoreip" can be an IP address, a CIDR mask or a DNS host.
+# "ignoreip" can be an IP address, a CIDR mask or a DNS host. Fail2ban will not
+# ban a host which matches an address in this list. Several addresses can be
+# defined using space separator.
 ignoreip = 127.0.0.1
+
 # "bantime" is the number of seconds that a host is banned.
 bantime  = 600
-# A host is banned if it has generated "maxretry" during the
-# last "findtime" seconds.
+
+# A host is banned if it has generated "maxretry" during the last "findtime"
+# seconds.
 findtime  = 600
+
 # "maxretry" is the number of failures before a host get banned.
 maxretry = 3
 
 # "backend" specifies the backend used to get files modification. Available
-# options are "gamin", "polling" and "auto".
+# options are "gamin", "polling" and "auto". This option can be overridden in
+# each jail too (use "gamin" for a jail and "polling" for another).
+#
+# gamin:   requires Gamin (a file alteration monitor) to be installed. If Gamin
+#          is not installed, Fail2ban will use polling.
+# polling: uses a polling algorithm which does not require external libraries.
+# auto:    will choose Gamin if available and polling otherwise.
 backend = auto