Firewall help needed using DSL on an older computer

Help needed deciding on a firewall using a 1998 Gateway computer with WIN98SE and all updates clean installed in September with almost everything on the default settings. The computer is working okay and was using a dial-up internet provider until last week when a change was made to an external ADSL modem using an Ethernet PCI connection and a DSL provider. No router is being used.

The hard drive is only 6.4GB and a firewall has not been installed yet. Norton Personal Firewall 2003 or the free Zone Alarm could be installed but which program would be more appropriate on this old computer without slowing it down any more than absolutely necessary.

Is this computer still connected to the Internet even if the computer is on Stand By or Hibernate? If so, is there a simple way to turn off the Internet connection without actually turning off the computer? Can the modem be unplugged and plugged back in while the machine is still turned on using Ethernet or would it need to be changed to a USB port to do this? There doesn't seem to be much difference in the Internet speed using Ethernet or USB.

Thanks for any help.

 

I use Sygate Personal Firewall Pro. I thinkt hey also have a free verion. Sygate is a good firewall, and it only requires about 15MB disk space. I ran Sygate on a very similar machine for awhile, and I run it on 2 computers right now. Afreind of mine runs it on his Cable connection, amd 2 freinds of mine have a cable connection and Sygate protectcs their LAN. C|Net gave it an 8/10, and PC World voted one of the best.

 

Thanks Aku for the reply. The free version of Zone Alarm was installed and it did not appear to slow this old computer down. It is working good using the cable DSL internet connection...definitely an improvement over dial-up.

 

Hi June,

May I suggest looking into a router as it will add a bit of protection for you and they are fairly simple to set up and inexspensive. I use a LinkSys paid about 60 dollars for it. Good luck and happy surfing!!!!

Regards,
FireDancer

 

This old Gateway computer belongs to a relative and a router is a great idea but I doubt he would be interested.

I actually do use a router which was provided and setup by my ISP and it works great.

Thanks!

 

To answer some of your other questions.
When to computer is on Standby, everything but the processor and power supply is shut down, and temp file is created on the drive. The computer is on, and doing nothing.
When the computer is in Hibernate, the entire contents of your RAM is dumped into a file on the drive, then the computer is shut off.
In either case, the computer is not doing anything with the internet. If the modem is on at this time, nothing is happening. Someone can ping your modem all day, and no danger can come from it.
Except for one scenario where you have Wake Up On LAN enabled in Power Management [located in the BIOS]. In this the computer would boot up upon receiving a data signal from the modem to the network card, you'd find the computer turned on, letting you wonder how it came to be. This older computer may not have this ability.
The network card (Ethernet PCI) can handle the internet traffic better than the USB. The network card can do the work better than this older computer can do it with the USB.

 

Thank you for the information. I'll ask the owner if he ever finds the computer booted up. I would never have thought of this.

My old IBM Aptiva is very quiet. However, my new computer sounds like a small fan is running constantly even if I have it on Standby. I thought this irritating noise was probably a fan required to keep it cool. If only the processor and power supply are running the noise must be the power supply fan??? As my computer is in the living room I use Hibernate when I'm not using it because of the noise.