Your talking about 2 different things.

1. Firewall, is needed on both DSL and cable modem lines.
These are both high speed, always connected lines.
I use Zone alarm and like it. My understanding is that
the XP firewall doesn't check for programs on your PC
that try to connect to Internet. Very good thing to know.

2. Antivirus, checks for virus in email, attachments and
file downloads. I use http://www1.my-etrust.com/products/info/Antivirus/2
but there are several goods ones you can use.
You can't have more than 1 antivirus program active.
They will conflict.

Some programs may have both items included but there are still 2 totally different functions

Frank F.

Dimension 4300
Pentium 4 -- 1.6GHz
60 GB Hard Drive
256MB SDRAM
CD-RW 16X / 10X / 40X
Windows ME

Hi Paul,
What is NVT 2002?

No, I don't have DSL, just a plain ol' cable modem.

I was concerned about any potential conflicts between the Norton AntiVirus already on my Dell, WinXP, and whatever else I decide to install.

Norton makes one called Internet Security, but it is not part of the SystemWorks 2002. (of course not!) $$$$
Obviously, I don't want to spend extra dollars if it is not truly necessary but only marketing hype.

Mystify731
Paul_Cussen wrote:
- I could be wrong, but I think NUT 2002 comes with a
- firewall. If not, a good FREE software firewall is
- Zonealarm (www.zonelabs.com). If you're using DSL,
- I'd personally recommend a HW Firewall/DSL Router.
- They can have a couple of advantages, built in
- firewall, DHCP server (if you have more than 1
- system you can set up a mini network, and all the
- PC's will have access to the internet).
-
- Paul.
-
-

I could be wrong, but I think NUT 2002 comes with a firewall. If not, a good FREE software firewall is Zonealarm (www.zonelabs.com). If you're using DSL, I'd personally recommend a HW Firewall/DSL Router. They can have a couple of advantages, built in firewall, DHCP server (if you have more than 1 system you can set up a mini network, and all the PC's will have access to the internet).

Paul.

mystify731 wrote:
- Since I now have WinXP that supposedly has a
- firewall,
- should I still buy a 3rd party personal firewall?
- I have my 8200 running on a cable modem. The OEM
- 3-month version of Norton AV is installed. It
- caught 4 viruses already in just this first month of
- use. Makes me wary. Should I purchase additional
- protection?
-
- What is recommended as good firewall software for a
- home PC?

I have about the same setup as you, 8200, cable modem and Norton AV. When the 3 months is up I will drop Norton and go back to AVG Anti Virus. I used it with my other computer.
I have always used ZoneAlarm, Free version. I leave the XP firewall disabled.

Today I tested my computer:

http://grc.com/default.htm
Ran leak test
http://grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm
Test my shields and Probe my ports
https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
Port Scanner
http://www.dslreports.com/scan

My computer passed all the above test, ZoneAlarm is protecting my computer. I see no reason to BUY anthing any different.


Dimension 8200 @ 1.8GHz
In Service 12/06/01
512MB PC800 RDRAM
40GB, ATA-100, 7200RPM, HD
64MB NVIDIAGeForce2 MX Graphics Card
1024 DigitalSound Card
10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
21 in. P1130 Trinitron Monitor
16X/10X/40X CD-RW Drive
Windows XP Home
Toshiba PCX1100 Cable Modem
IE 6.02, Netscape 6.2
Zone Alarm
God Bless the USA

Thanks, Frank. That is exactly what I wondered; i.e., if the firewall and the virus would conflict. Now that I know they are entirely different, I think it would be wise for me to find something suitable and not too expensive/overkill and install a personal firewall.

Mystify731
yabado wrote:
- Your talking about 2 different things.
-
- 1. Firewall, is needed on both DSL and cable modem
- lines.
- These are both high speed, always connected lines.
- I use Zone alarm and like it. My understanding is
- that
- the XP firewall doesn't check for programs on your
- PC
- that try to connect to Internet. Very good thing to
- know.
-
- 2. Antivirus, checks for virus in email, attachments
- and
- file downloads. I use
- href="http://www1.my-etrust.com/products/info/Anti
- virus/2"
- target=_blank>http://www1.my-etrust.com/products/i
- nfo/Antivirus/2
- but there are several goods ones you can use.
- You can't have more than 1 antivirus program active.
- They will conflict.
-
- Some programs may have both items included but there
- are still 2 totally different functions
-
- Frank F.
-
- Dimension 4300
- Pentium 4 -- 1.6GHz
- 60 GB Hard Drive
- 256MB SDRAM
- CD-RW 16X / 10X / 40X
- Windows ME

What is AVG Anti-Virus? Is the test message at the end of your post the report that your AV software generates?

And how to you disable the XP Firewall?? I can see it enabled/disabled in my network connections screen. When I disable/enable the cable connection, the firewall indicates if it is disabled/enabled as well. Where can I just turn it off without shutting down my cable modem connection?

I keep hearing about Zone Alarm. Guess I'll head over to download.com and find it. Thanks for sharing your solutions with me. I appreciate the tips.

And, I'm really liking this new Dell. First time Dell customer too.

-
- I have about the same setup as you, 8200, cable
- modem and Norton AV. When the 3 months is up I will
- drop Norton and go back to AVG Anti Virus. I used it
- with my other computer.
- I have always used ZoneAlarm, Free version. I leave
- the XP firewall disabled.
-
- Today I tested my computer:
-
-
- target=_blank>http://grc.com/default.htm
-
- Ran leak test
-
- target=_blank>http://grc.com/lt/leaktest.htm
-
- Test my shields and Probe my ports
- https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
- Port Scanner
-
- target=_blank>http://www.dslreports.com/scan
-
-
- My computer passed all the above test, ZoneAlarm is
- protecting my computer. I see no reason to BUY
- anthing any different. -
-

mystify731 wrote:
-
- What is AVG Anti-Virus?
- And how to you disable the XP Firewall?? I can see
- it enabled/disabled in my network connections
- screen. When I disable/enable the cable connection,
- the firewall indicates if it is disabled/enabled as
- well.


AVG Anti-Virus
http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm

You should NOT disable the XP firewall until you get ZoneAlarm or another firewall.

Control Panel- Network Connections - Properties - Advanced- Enable "Protect My Computer"...
Turning it off or on has nothing to do with your cable, other than protection. Read the help file at that location, it explains the firewall.

I'm a first time Dell, I have used an IBM for 5 years, it still works great but out of date. I really like this Dell!

Good luck!




Dimension 8200 @ 1.8GHz
In Service 12/06/01
512MB PC800 RDRAM
40GB, ATA-100, 7200RPM, HD
64MB NVIDIAGeForce2 MX Graphics Card
1024 DigitalSound Card
10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
21 in. P1130 Trinitron Monitor
16X/10X/40X CD-RW Drive
Windows XP Home
Toshiba PCX1100 Cable Modem
IE 6.02, Netscape 6.2
Zone Alarm
God Bless the USA

Mystify731,
Here`s a link to a thread in the Software XP conference that you may find informative.
http://ausstodtalk2.us.dell.com/messages/frame_message_view-topic.asp?name=sw_winxp&id=zznlb&bandwidth=fra

Thank you for sending along tha link to the software conference about firewalls. The information I read there was **exactly** what I needed. Now I have a good grasp of what needs to be done with my new Dell............I'm off to d/l Zone Alarm. Thank you again!


Mystify731
Dimension 8200 @ 1.8GHz
In Service 12/06/01
256MB PC800 RDRAM
80GB, 7200RPM, Ultra ATA HD
64MB nVIDIAGeForce2 MX Graphics Card
10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
17 in. P792 FD Trinitron Monitor
16X/10X/40X CD-RW Drive
Windows XP Home
Motorola SURFboard Cable Modem
IE 6.02, Netscape 4.79
....Plus peripherals

Free anti-virus www.grisoft.com

Pentium 4 1.9 Gig / 478 pin 400Mhz FSB
Shuttle Motherboard
Via chipset P4x266 VT8233 DDRam Support
Windows XP (home edition - Clean Install!)
DDRam 768 Meg - WD 80 gig HD ATA 100
Gainward GF3 Powerpack Golden Sample/64 meg
LiteOn 24x10x40 CD-RW - Pioneer DVD 500m
Pinacle Firewire Card - Linksys Lan 10/100
Santa Cruz Sound Card (4127 beta drivers)
Dell 991 Monitor - Altec Lansing 885 Thx Speakers
Microtek 3700 Scanner - HP 1100 Printer
Altec Lansing 885 Thx Speakers

Other:
XPSB1000r ,XP home, Gforce 2 pro 64meg
384 megs PC700 Rdram - 60 gig maxtor HD
DVD-Rom - Sony CD-RW