I can answer the first one.

I have Pro on both my machiens, I have no prob running any of my games. But I think I did have prob with Quake II.

Life: No one gets out alive.

Pc-cillin is a good firewall and anti-vir program.
It even has a lockdown function!
easy to use- install, put in your proxy settings for auto-update(if you have proxy), set security level to maximum, and sit back and laugh as everyone gets locked out.
seriously-best firewall ive seen so far

as for the router prob- (this may or may not work, Taw would be able to help you better here) what is the connection path? is the WAP connected to your computer or to the router ?



Edited by - Arania on 20-12-2003 08:19:07

@Rilms, thanks, good to hear.

@Arania, have you ever been unable to view certain sites with Pc-cillin on?

As for my network:

My laptop, desktop (and at one time, my coworkers laptop) can connect to the WAP (but still detects the router), then the WAP is connected to Router in port 2 of 4 (no other ports are filled), router is then connected to the Cable modem which is connected to the cable jack in my wall.

I wonder if the router is supposed to handle all the routing of computers and I was never suppose to need a WAP? I had the WAP first, and I've never managed to get the router working any other way than with wires.

Sir Spectre

q1 - u won't notice the difference for ordinary use, but Pro is better and has some extra features that Home lacks. yes it's NT based, they both are, so was W2K and W2003. it's basically NT/2000 made suitable for non-business users, and if u have trouble with games there's always the compatibility mode utility. Do not worry about ur games on XP.

q2 - u can rip any heatsink out and put whatever one u want in it's place. the paste is soft and runny when it's hot so it's easier to get off when u've run the puter for a bit then switched off, rather than waiting till it's cooled. Just watch out for spacing, if u have a smallish or restricted case u might have to stick with the proprietary cooler.

q3 - a firewall uses a sequence of logical rules to control communication between ur computer and the internet, that's all u need to know. it allows or blocks programs from using specific or ranges of ports/sockets, for example were u to block ur browser from using port 80 u would not be able to browse at all. Ports actually form part of urls but u rarely actually see them in the url. File-sharing programmes like Kazaa open up ports which otherwise would be blocked, thus defeating the object of the firewall in the first place, so back ur firewall up with some good antivirus sware.

The only thing u have to do once u'v installed ur f'wall s'ware is decide which programs will access the internet and which ones won't. There's usually some autoscan utility for internet capable progs, most u will say yes to. Be careful as some programs need other programs to be enabled in this respect, and won't work if they're disabled. Another golden rule is anything that's trying to communicate OUT from ur pc u can usually say yes to, anything that's coming IN u usually say no to; but there are exceptions of course, a clever chap like u should be able to figure it out

Myself i use several firewalls - Zone Alarm Pro on my router/gateway, and Norton Internet Security Professional on my server and my primary pc. There's also the cr*ppy Windows one but no-one bothers with that except twonks and cheapskates. I've never been a fan of PC-Cillin but then i haven't used it for years so I can't pass much comment on that.

q4 - rather exotic and interesting; u should indeed be connecting via ur router alone with that distributing across the network. Wireless or wired is irrelevant, unless ur getting interference from something else (unlikely) U prob just haven't configured it right. Send me some more details and let me think about it. Why do u still have that dam WAP thing btw? I don't like wi-fi or wireless anything really, nothing like a good old fashioned cable imho, performs better, faster, & more reliable and secure than wireless, which is just flavour of the moment.

Edited by - Tawakalna on 20-12-2003 22:39:38

i agree with Arania Pc cillin is a good firewall provider but it stars virus scanning at the most annoying of times like when i'm in the middle of playing a game, when it does this i get kicked back to the desktop and this annoyes me so if you do get pc cillin be warned abotu that SS

What's the point in living if you can't feel alive?

I have XP home, no problems here with anything. --- VH16

Wow, moderators don't have all the answers. It's like I just realised my god was just some dude in his basement

Whoever came up with "Mission Commision" should be lined up and shot

@Taw

---

rather exotic and interesting

---

Damn peculiar and aggravating I call it.

I am looking at my settings now so there will be another post after this.

But before I forget, what is the one XP Home patch I don't want to install. Or don't they even offer it anymore?

Sir S

don't worry, it's Q811493 and it's been withdrawn.

Chet suggested turning RDP/RA and auto-update off as they soak up resources and bandwidth, and he's q. right. Check out my ftp site for XP Pro tweaks/streamlining or I'll bung em on the e-mail to you.

this network malarkey of yours is rather vexing, I will discuss it with someone i know who's dead hot on this stuff, when u give me more details.

I can already feel myself overwhelmed by this. You know what, I'm going to leave it until after I get my new desktop then reset the system and only use the router this time. If that doesn't work I'll ask for more help. But I don't want to be a burden on your Christmas and I don't want to redo anything when the new computer arrives.

Sir S

it's no burden when it's you