I had to install a new hard drive and reload XP. I updated XP with windows updates and also installed Norton anti-virus 2004. I'm on a cable modem. Is there a real need to have a firewall too, like I used to have with Norton Internet Security? I do have business records on my computer.

AK:
Why wouldn't you want one?

Two reasons, Tom. I had a copy of Norton Antivirus which allowed two computers to be licensed so I put that on. When I had Norton Internet security, I had no disk and didn't make one, just downloaded it and used it so I would have had to buy one again. And the second reason is that if I don't need it why have it, am I protected as it is? It seemed to slow things down a lot when I did have it. Should I get a firewall? If so, recommendations on brand? Thanks.

I personally wouldnt enter the net without one.You have anti-virus but can any AV guarantee 100% nothing will get past it.
I would recommend you try out sygates free firewall I have used it for many years and it doesnt seem to hog my resources.

http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

Good luck

Would you leave your car unlocked?,or would you lock it and protect it to reduce the risk?Would you leave your house alarm turned off?,or would you lock it to reduce the risk?If you dont like software firewalls,there is hardware firewalls that you can use to protect your system.Routers are not very expensive,and they offer excellent protection against hackers.You can buy a good router for about $60.00.Just a thought.

PEACE!!!

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Dear Mr Moose,

Firewalls are totally unnecesary to protect your valuable work records!

Just keep your records elsewhere!
Or get a second computer!

Firewalls are necessary for net connected machines as you find out sooner or later...

Rocky

Please turn on your XP firewall. You will get a worm or worse within minutes without a firewall with all the scanning that is going these days. It does offer good incoming protection, but no outgoing. There is no need to buy NIS, the free versions of Sygate, Kerio, Outpost, Zone Alarm are just as good if not better. I personally use a router that has a hardware firewall. They are under $50 fron DLink, Linksys, SMC, Etc. Take care and all the best!

I'm actually going to go with what Kevin has said in the past, and that is not to use a 3rd party software firewall. Now, he says to use XP's built in firewall along with a router, which is great advice, but I've been finding that if you just use a router with a built in firewall, and nothing else, you're still pretty darn safe.

I use a Linksys router at the moment and this baby has kept out many a ping and God knows what else all. I have WallWatcher running so that the logs from the router go into WallWatcher where I can see them without logging on to the router.

What I find neat is that in a pinging flood or whatever, it will only physically block so many attempts, after that number is reached, it just drops them alltogether. You're probably safest using both a router and other firewall, but, IMHO, you are not skating on thin ice with hot coals strapped to your feet if you just use the router alone.

A Virus scanner does just that. It might happen to pick up the odd trojan or malware but is not necessarilly designed to do so.

A firewall protects you from web based intrusions of many types. The more you keep out the better.

Derek.W

AVG is free and is real good why not have it for safety.

get a linksys router/firewall & Zone Alarm. One hardware, one software.

YES you need firewalls. You don't need to look at the logs, just get them.

I use Sygate as well. I used to have VCOM and it did slow things down a bit. But the Sygate doesn't.

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