Technical & Security Issues...

Lately I have been having alot of issues with my PC. I have a feeling they are being caused by my Firewall, but I'm not sure. I have Windows XP, Norton AntiVirus, McAfee Firewall, and a connection through a cable modem. Heres the problem: Every 15 mins I have problems with my internet connection. I can't connect to any Counter-Strike servers, and if I leave my computer on all day. I have to reset it to get my internet connection back. How can I have an always on internet connection without all these issues? and how can I secure my PC just in case my firewall has an error like it always does.

The disconnection problems sound like there are a few causes. The 15 minute problem is probably due to a firewall configuration error. Most likely because it's set to block the connection after a certain amount of idle time. To connect to counter-strike servers, you'll have to manually set rules to allow C-S to access the Internet and/or act as a server (depending how C-S works... I haven't used it before). Finally, about the reseting your computer after a day... it's most likely due to a IP address issue. Next time you would normally reset, try going to the Run menu under Start and type: ipconfig /renew Then try to access the Internet and see if that works. It sounds like the lease on the IP from the modem is only 24 hours.

AJ

So as I expected, except for the IP lease all my issues are firewall related?

Sounds like, it yeah. As I suggested in your other thread, if you're looking for a free firewall, give ZoneAlarm or Outpost a try. You can find them at www.zonealarm.com and www.agnitum.com, respectively.

AJ

I now have Outpost & McAfee Firewalls running on my PC. Should I keep both or get rid of McAfee. I think outpost has alot more functionality than McAfee....

Generally, though some others will disagree, it's best to use only one Firewall at a time. What you can do is to disable McAfee for the time being, relying purely upon Outpost until you're familiar with it. That way, if you're unhappy with it, you can simply re-enable McAfee until you find another solution. Once you're satisfied that Outpost will do what you want, uninstall McAfee.

AJ