Is it better to have some type of firewall, such as Zone Alarm if you are only using dial-up access to the internet,and your computer is the only one in your home? Thanks RonH

hi ronH, yes it is. although its not likely that you will be hacked if you are using dial-up because your ip address is not static, it is not impossible, as when you are if you are using cable or dsl, its always better if you augment the use of a virtual firewall with a router. the use of a router will block all incoming packets and augmented with a virtual firewall will block all outgoing packets. there are many good virtual firewalls out there and the choice is rather simple depending on what kind you will be comfortable with: application based such as zone alarm or rule based such as kerio. for more info on firewalls and routers go to www.thepublicworks.com security section, there are a lot of firewall, router, and trojan information. the rules for safe computing are simple: make sure your email client such as outlook express is configured to not open up email attachments automatically, that your preview pane is closed, don't open up any email attachments from people you don't know, any email attachment with 2 extensions is always a virus and or trojan such as .doc.pif, .jpg.vbs, .exe.scr etc. scan your machine daily with a good anti-virus, update your virus definitions daily if possible, scan your machine with a good anti-trojan such as Trojan Hunter, Tauscan, BOClean, or any other fine product. do a free trojan and port scan from PCFlank.com on a regular basis, make sure your ports 137,138,139 are stealthed. if possible download free copies of Regprot, Procmon, and TDImon, which are in order a registry monitor, process monitor, and port monitor. don't use any peer to peer programs such as Kaaza, Audiogalaxy,ICQ or any other program like that as they are virus and trojan hotbeds. i'm sure that other good advice will be coming after this post from other good counsellors. hope this helps, all the best murve

Look at: http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/1368.html http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/1349.html

Zonealarm reported to me a problem that would have had me stumped forever... http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/942.html I am also on dial-up, Virus scan before I open any download or attachment yet the bug still infected me. Zonealarm keeps it at bay !

I have a dial up connection and I use a free firewall.There are free ones available that are good.I like Sygate personal firewall 5.0,Zone Alarm Basic.If you want to look at reviews of firewalls,anti-trojans and similar programs,wilders.org has them and downloads also.I believe that cnet and zdnet have reviews also.