firewall

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Guest

Please excuse my ignorance, but I know w2000 does not have a firewall. If I
am on a cable connection, is my computer at risk when shut down? If I am
just a casual user do I need to worry about this?
 
You are not at risk when the pc is shutdown, no more than you are at
risk of being in a car accident when your car is parked in the yard and
you are sitting in the living room watching tv. You should have a
firewall, with cable connections being always on you are at risk as soon
as you turn the pc on. Even if your Windows 2000 is fully patched
hackers and crackpots are always trying to compromise Windows and they
eventually find new security exploits. A firewall is your first line of
defense. You can get free firewall for home use from many different
firewall makers, I like Kerio or Sygate.

John
 
You are definitely at risk connecting to the internet without a firewall on
a cable modem. User have reporting being infected in less than a minute when
connected to the internet without a firewall. Since you have a cable modem I
suggest you get an inexpensive NAT router/firewall device to protect your
computer. They are fairly easy to configure and pretty much set and forget.
These devices are made by the likes of Netgear, Linksys, D-Link, and such
and can be purchased at Best Buy, etc. or Amazon. Software firewalls can
also be used though I still recommend a NAT router device. They usually cost
about what a month or two of high speed access costs. See the link below for
more tips on protecting your computer as a firewall is just one step to
securing your network. --- Steve

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx --- Protect
your PC tips.
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=33-122-011&DEPA=5
-- example of a NAT router that also has wireless access, though you would
want to disable the wireless access if you do not need it.
 
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