I feel like an idiot...

[Rodney]

Open questions to anyone, not directed.

So why doesn't your DSL/Cable modem/Router have a firewall? Is port 80 open on your firewall? Is your DMZ configured for external access from the internet? What port would an attack come from? Do you personnaly know of anyone or have you had an attack? The last time you had a virus, how did it happen? Not talking false/positives here. Things for you to ponder.

Not saying that firewalls are good or bad. Most folks feel a "sense of security" with one without ever understanding it's capability and use.

[WJH308]

I use Zone Alarm to keep programs from going outside, rather than keeping stuff from coming inside.

[BHawthorne]

At least it wasn't a loose power cable. I actually thought I had a bad mobo once too but diagnised it as CMOS battery also. I went to a used computer store and picked up a Macintosh awhile back that they was sure was dead. I just swapped in a different CMOS battery and was up and running MacOS X on it. I do a bit of Photoshop on that machine still.

[Michael Carter]

I'll mostly be using the old machine to pull "My Documents" pictures from. It's nice have another machine you can run programs from without cluttering up the hard drive on my new machine.

My FS computer is mostly only FS, but PS and ITunes is also installed.

I've never had any viruses or attacks made on a computer I've owned. Seems I've been either careful enough or lucky enough to avoid all of the drama.

[alaxus]

Open questions to anyone, not directed.

So why doesn't your DSL/Cable modem/Router have a firewall?

It does but I dont use it, its limited.

Is port 80 open on your firewall?

Yes.

Is your DMZ configured for external access from the internet?

No. Though I have certain ports being forwaded on.

What port would an attack come from?

all of the 65535 available to the PC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...P_port_numbers

Do you personnaly know of anyone or have you had an attack?

I average about 100+ intrusions per day, so says my intrusion detector (snort.) From all over the world.

The last time you had a virus, how did it happen?

I average 10+ a week, from emails, bittorent, crack sites etc. I have a good antivirus, and a PC that I can afford to trash.

Not saying that firewalls are good or bad. Most folks feel a "sense of security" with one without ever understanding it's capability and use.

Not many firewalls will tell you that they have been breached.

[luisgordo]

Uh, I'll need you to refresh my memory. What software is that?

http://luisgordo.googlepages.com/instructorstation

[Kennair]

I'm with Eric on this one. Use to use ZA but had so many issues with it when configuring new PC's to the network that I turned it off! I'm glad Vista's firewall supports both in and out monitoring so just use that on the sim. Office PC has none, just WinXP's and AV and never had an attack.

Ken.