> 1) Apparently it can be hooked into a network card, or a USB port. > I don't have a network card...will it run just as good hooked > into a USB port? This does seem a bit strange, but it's not *impossible*. If you gave us the brand/model of the modem, we could check out the specs and see whether this is really waht the manufacturer claims to offer. > 2) I have heard the best firewall protection is to purchase a > broadband modem router, and then I don't need as software > firewall...can anyone shed some light on that? PURCHASING the router doesn't do anything for you. However, most such routers include features like NAT that, unless you want to run a server, can be used to provide pretty good protection for your PC. You have to actually be using NAT, packet filtering, or other router fieatures in order to get protection -- and some software firewalls offer features such as "ad blocking" that a router won't do. (I use, and recommend, a combination of both.) David Gillett On 2 Jul 2001, at 14:30, Ira Wallin wrote: > Hi, > I have a couple of cable modem questions: > > 1) Apparently it can be hooked into a network card, or a USB port. > I don't have a network card...will it run just as good hooked > into a USB port? > > 2) I have heard the best firewall protection is to purchase a > broadband modem router, and then I don't need as software > firewall...can anyone shed some light on that? > > Thank you so much!! > Ira Wallin > > PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download > visit our download web page at: > http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml > PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download visit our download web page at: http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml