hello, the request for a master password should kick in once you are on a password form that should auto-complete or once you try to access the stored passwords through the firefox options > security panel.

Use a Primary Password to protect stored logins and passwords

I can go to any site I want that does or does not require passwords and go right in...ideally I want to have toenter a password in order to use the browser at all...or whenever I try to go to any website.

Or to put that another way, the master password protects you from someone else using one of your saved logins. Your Firefox still can load any site that doesn't require using one of your saved logins, whether master password is entered or not.

Are you looking for a way to stop someone from running Firefox without entering a password?

that is exactly what I would like...I have 3 kids at home and don't want them to have any access at all without my password.

You may want to create a whole different Windows logon for them and use heavy-duty software to lock it down. What I've seen suggested in the way of Firefox add-ons can be bypassed.

This thread came up in a search:

• can I protect a profile with a password?

the add n would be fine...but it doesn't download. I'm sure there must be something in the browser itself...I really do not want to set up an entire windows profile.

Do you have saved a "remember me" cookie?

There is a difference between remembering the name and password in the Password Manager and a "remember me" check box on a web page to log you in automatically.
The latter usually involves the creation of a special "remember me" cookie that is stored on your computer and that is send to the server.
You can remove this "remember me" cookie to make the website forget you and require you to sign in again.