internet security and xp sp2

[maansingh169]

I was talking to my Cable Internet Service Provider, and complaining about how my speed on my internet was slower than usual and speed tests proved that....now i have a motorola 5100 cable modem, Belkin wireless B router w/ 4 port wired (wired for PC, wireless for Laptop), note:This is concerning PC... he said that packets of data are comming in from modem to my router, then the router is filtering them with the hardware firewall and then sending to my computer and then My norton internet security is filtering that and the norton internet security is kinda overrideing the hardware firewall with its script blocking and that is what is causing the slowdown....so i disabled norton internet security....and there it goes...i get my fast connection and everything....and i read through the Belkin manuel to make sure my firewall is on....
now for the questions....was this guy making the whole thing up or not?
i like the norton internet secrity disabled, since it speeds up my internet connection and gives me my system resources back....a plus in my book....now am i getting protection from my router.... he says that all i really need for my computer to be efficient is a Router, windows sp2, antivirus program, and a spyware program, and that should be enough.........that does everyone else think...................
question #2 or 3 or whatever........ now on norton internet security i had a productivity control option that helped me block porn sites and other sites from my kids......now norton doesnt offer that as a seperate program....but Mcafee does....now i am not as familiar with Mcafee as i am with symantic's programs.....is Mcafee reliable......and how do they compare with norton.........if they are good......is it a wise choice to dump norton all together (my subscription is up in about 2 weeks) and go for Mcafee AntiVirus and Productivity control.........
thanks a head......

cpu details
amd 2800
512 mb ram
128mb ati rage pro (i dont care)
Tutle beach Santa Cruz 5.1 sound card (for the money it is ok)
Liteon 16X dvd rom
Pioneer Dvd-R 4X
Windows XP Pro with SP2
Iolo System Mechanic 5
Norton Internet Security 2004
(everything is updated)
Belkin Router wireless B
Motorola 5100 Modem

[Dr. DOS]

Personally, even with my Linksys Router between my modem and PC I still want my Kerio Firewall running. I seems to block the occassional item or two. Kerio doesn't seem to slow my traffic down that much

[bazooka]

Mcafee is very reliable in my book.

[BJ_M]

norton anything generally for the most part is crap ....

except ghost ...

[maansingh169]

Personally, even with my Linksys Router between my modem and PC I still want my Kerio Firewall running. I seems to block the occassional item or two. Kerio doesn't seem to slow my traffic down that much

but what does the hardware router let pass that your software firewall picks up?

[bazooka]

Traffic that goes through port 80.

[BJ_M]

unless you are running a web server , port 80 should not be open for incoming traffic ..

[maansingh169]

just doing basic internet and microsoft office, with studio 9 that is about it....................
so is a software firewall better than a hardware firewall

[BJ_M]

no - i would say a hardware firewall is better than a software one

[glockjs]

yeah but your not gonna be able to block certain sites with just a hardware firewall.

@BJ_M hey! norton antivirus corporate isnt all that bad. norton isnt as bad as people make it out to be. but yeah, its not the best either.

[bazooka]

yeah but your not gonna be able to block certain sites with just a hardware firewall.

@BJ_M hey! norton antivirus corporate isnt all that bad. norton isnt as bad as people make it out to be. but yeah, its not the best either.

I second the sentiment that norton coprorate is not bad.

[ViRaL1]

Comes in very handy.