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Originally I only had one PC on my DSL connection, and I've been using Zone Alarm Pro for some time on it. Now I've got a second PC connected that I use to access my employer's network through a VPN connection. I could install another copy of ZAP on it, but I'm wondering if there isn't a better solution than running a software firewall on every PC I hook up. My SMC Barricade router is getting a little long in the tooth, also. Any suggestions?

John Jones, Detroit

John,

Have a look at the ZyXEL ZyWALL 2 Internet Security Gateway:

I know people that are still using their 5 year old Linksys BESR41 unit with the latest firmware and having no problems. Since the internet connection is way slower than your routers ports, there's not much to be gained by getting a new router.

If you want a better solution, get a firewall, something that has SMTP content filters for attachments, a HTTP proxy type filter that can remove scripting, Active-X, cookies, host information, etc... Something that can block all outbound except on the actual ports that you need to use the internet.

I had one, they are pretty good. The newer ones look nicer, have a few more features in terms of outbound filtering, etc. What model is it?

Maybe nothing. I really don't have a clue about how good it's firewall is, but it's old enough that I figure a newer router, or a separate firewall box, would be more effective.

John Jones, Detroit

John Jones, Detroit