[cc100]

Ive just realised that I do not have a firewall on my laptop which I use for the Internet.

Do I need one? And if so can you give me the whereabouts of a free firewall download, please?

Thanks

[Tanser_Man]

Goto google and search for Sygate Firewall. A link should come up to a website called tucows.

[lily.]

Zonealarm is the best free one.

click here

[Sticks]

If you run Windows XP, with service pack 2, it has an inbuilt firewall

[cc100]

Thanks for the help guys.

I run Windows XP, but how do I know if its service pack 2?

On the panel in the bottom right hand corner, there is no icon for a firewall.

[Sticks]

Start - Control Panel

If there is a section called security centre, you have XPS2

If you had automatics updates on it would have tried to grab SP2

It is best to be on broadband as XS2 was something like a 500MB download

I did hear that you could get it on CD ROM, but I do not know where

[cc100]

There is no security centre, unfortunately.

I do not have broadband anymore, so a download is too big at 500MB.

Do you therefore suggest I download one of the free ones, and if so, which one is best?

Ta.

[Sticks]

I use Zone Alarm

also see if you can get a CD from Microsoft, my father did, but I do not know how

[lily.]

Go to your local PC world store. They stock free SP2 CD-ROMS.

Click here for info. It tells you all about it on the site.

I use the WinXP built-in one now. I used to use ZoneAlarm. It's a good firewall, but I found it slowed stuff down a bit, because I don't have much RAM on my machine. So I uninstalled it.

The WinXP built-in one doesn't give me the same sluggishness, and it has been great for protection so far. I have been using it for about 6 weeks now.

However, if you still want just the firewall, Zonealarm is the best free one.

Click here for ZoneAlarm

[James]

The Windows XP firewall is pretty good at blocking inbound attacks, but other firewall programs can help you monitor, and stop, programs on your computer 'dialling out' with your info.

As well as Zonealarm there's a few other free ones listed here

http://www.firewallguide.com/freeware.htm

[Sticks]

Originally posted by Stropz
Go to your local PC world store. They stock free SP2 CD-ROMS.

Click here for info. It tells you all about it on the site.

Thankyou for that James, this will prove critical as I will mention in another thread.

[cc100]

Thanks Sticks, Stropz and James.

I will get the free service pack.

[cc100]

Ive found this website that sends out the XP Service Pack 2 CD Rom, free of charge.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...s/default.mspx