On Wednesday, March 01, 2000 6:37 PM, "Patrick Black" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:


On Friday my local Cable company(Armstrong) will becoming to install cable
modem net access to my computer.

I am in need of advise for 2 type of programs:

1) What is the best program out there to use as a gateway server for a
network, as I have a home LAN and wish to give
    my parents access from their computer.

2) What is the best type of security program out there to keep out unwanted
intruders(hackers and the like), but will still allow for an
  FTP server to run.

 When you connect to the Internet with a standard modem, you're one of
millions of relatively anonymous dial-up customers accessing the
Net via thousands of ISPs around the world. Your PC's hostname and IP
address are temporarily issued more or less at random, and they
remain yours only as long as you're online. No one can anticipate  when
you'll be online or easily track down your system, and when you log off,
you're truly off the Net. By its very random-cum- anonymous nature,
traditional dial-up offers a degree of security.  With always-on DSL and
cable, you have a fixed IP address and host
 name--your electronic door is always open. Because your PC is always
connected to the Internet, you are in the same realm as every Web
 and e-mail server on the planet--as well as with every hacker,  cracker,
"script-kiddie," virus author, and network prankster. The difference is that
commercial sites are (usually) built from the
 ground up with security in mind. The site is protected behind a few routers
and probably a dedicated firewall, and it is monitored 24/7 by a staff of
network professionals. Chances are  that your always-on connection is
funneled through a DSL or cable modem that offers little or no protection to
the computers connected to it.           Whether you like it or not, your PC
has just become another vulnerable host on the Internet. According to Steve
Gibson of Gibson          Research, "When you are connected to the Internet,
the Internet is also connected to you."

There are several programs that will allow you to do what you are asking.
BlackICE Defender and ConSeal Private Desktop. More info about the
respective products can be obtained here, BlackICE Defender,
http://www.networkice.com and ConSeal, http://www.signal9.com.  BlackICE
does not have a try before you buy whereas ConSeal will allow you a 30-day
trial.  After installing either product, visit Steve Gibson's website,
http://grc.com and his Shields Up program will tell you how vulnerable you
are to anyone.  If you get a "stealth" report on all your comm ports, etc.,
you cannot be traced without considerable effort.  HTH. :-)

Walter R. Worth
[log in to unmask]

            Do you want to signoff PCBUILD or just change to
                    Digest mode - visit our web site:
                    http://nospin.com/pc/pcbuild.html