On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 10:44:47 -0600, "Orville Noah" <*email_address_deleted*>
wrote:

>To start with, I don't have any technical education about Internet or
>Networking.
>
>I heard several suggestions about 'home' networking and connecting PCs to
>Internet,
>using a 'gateway'. In the early days, when we had only phonelines and
>extensions in
>our bedrooms, we got used to with a phoneline home network. Speed started
>at 24 kilobits, and now it is up to 2-10 megabits on phonelines(?). Then
>came RJ-45
>connections, and few of us spent some money to re-wire our homes to transfer
>files
>at 100 megabits, but connections to the Internet remains at about the same
>speed
>(about 2-10 megabits for home use, although the cable companies swear that
>we are
>getting 100 megabits transfer rate!). For 'security' purpose, we were
>suggested to
>use a 'firewall' at the 'gateway' PC, and also for the remaining home PCs.
>Besides,
>we use a bundle of other 'software' to secure our e-mails. It is nice that
>XP has a
>built in 'firewall'. Do we need a better 'firewall' for the 'gateway' PC ?
>Recently,
>here comes the short distance 'Airwaves' networking and spreading the
>Internet
>connection to neighbors Laptops (free). What a mess...we are re-learning
>this phase.
>
>Question - what are the pitfalls for not making our home network 'secure'
>and
>what should be the most economic way to make our home network 'secure'?
>
>Appreciate all the suggestions and comments.

Orville,

The subject of protecting yourself, or your computer, from malicious activity,
is heavily discussed in numerous forums. My advice is that you use a robust,
aka Layered Security, strategy. You need layers of security, because there is
not one single product that will protect you 100% of the time. Here's my
contribution:
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/please-protect-yourself-layer-your.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/0...ayer-your.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.