RE: Home network problem

ZA has a free version:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/comparison.
jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=ho_za or http://tinyurl.com/94j59

Personally, while ZA gets high marks I've been using an ancient version
of the Kerio firewall for years.  It's now been bought by Sunbelt
Software, the folks who make Counterspy.  For a limited time they're
offering the Kerio FW for $14.95.  Or you can use the free version:
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm


I would say the typical home PC network is where a personal/software
firewall is most needed (along with the other security tools).  It's
that environment that won't have a competent IT professional available
for installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.  The environments
that pretty much anyone on this list are involved with are atypical.
Atypical in the sense that they are actually managed.

A typical environment will have children downloading music (maybe even
legally), surfers of all ages who click on anything--including popups,
people who forward chain emails, people who never wind up running an AV
scan since the PC is never on when the scan is scheduled to run.
They're behind, maybe way behind, on Windows Update (& Office Update if
applicable).  They may have wireless but probably don't have WPA
configured.  Or everything's at the defaults so just type 'Linksys' and
you're in.  They might even think the remote management facility of
their router is cool so they open the management connection to the
Internet (a huge no-no).  Their browsers allow both JavaScript & ActiveX
and have Flash/Shockwave installed.  They don't use alternative media
players.  They listen to Sony CDs.  These machines desperately need
protection.