SNIP
>I use the WinXP firewall to protect computers on my network from each other in case a virus breaks out. I use a LinkSys wireless router as my firewall between my network and the internet. Works like a charm. When I do port scans at grc.com, my firewall is tight.

I do similarly (though wired, not wireless), but I'd have real trouble saying it "works like a charm". I just have no real idea of if it works or not. My PCs seem to "clean" (and I also run Avast! on all of them) but how would I know what it is that is doing the job?

I also get infrequent 'hangs' that may last 10-30 seconds, which I *feel* is related to Outlook (2003) in some way. But I have no way to prove that, and it could well be some virus doing its thing.

In summary, my view, when it comes to firewalls or virus protect, is how can I tell that they are doing the job they are intended to do? And if I can't, how could I ever say any of this stuff "works like a charm"?

cheers

>
>I haven't seen a need to run two software firewalls. I find that Zonealarms asks too many questions.