am i being hacked???

Still looking, but I have found one interesting discussion of this:

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One of the big problems I see with running more then one firewall is unfortunatly most people (average home users) dont have the so called, HORSE POWER SYSTEMS to handle many apps/programs running simultaneiously doing the same job, and even then it can still be a problem for the biggest system. Most conflicts caused within a system comes from more then one application trying to accsess the same thing at the same time. Lets face it, if one firewall is useing a certain service or port then the other cant so whats the point? The second firewall just sits and basicly waits it's turn until it can be granted accsess. By then the task is comleted and it becomes useless for the other to even try at that point.

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This is from: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=22814

Edit> Here is some more that I have found:

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Why the hello do you have more than one firewall running on your machine? - Are you that certain that General Motors,the CIA,the KGB, or the Country Music Association are really that interested in your musical tastes?? http://www.cybertechhelp.com/ubb/biggrin.gif,(Yeah,yeah, I know but the Belgians get a little carried away at times).

Not all firewall programs are designed to track precisely the same activies in order to stop unwanted upload/download behaviours. In fact,this can lead to uncertainty. The programs are designed to treat any activities that are outside of the parameters of the programmer's expectation; as potentially invasive or destructive and to block anything that is unforeseen and alert the user of a potential danger.

Running more than one firewall introduces an additional layer of unusual activity to the mix.

My suggestion? - If you are bound and determined to have a firewall choose one and get rid of the rest.

From: http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/...hp/t-2058.html

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http://springfield.news-leader.com/c...ult-94914.html
has one more 'opinion' about multiple firewalls.

Here is a discussion in favor of multiple firewalls : http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-623...108374&start=0

There's no point in having more than one software firewall. Why waste the memory? It's best to avoid many applications competing for the same resources - especially in windows!

Hardware and software firewall - well now, that's different and acceptable as there is no competing for resources. Perhaps a little bit of latency, but hardly noticable - certainly to the home user.

This might be stupid but....since you download on it a LOT, when was the last time you rebooted your computer?

:) O.K. seems to make sense of them competing or conflicting in some ways.
What would be your recommendations for choosing which f/w to keep? Should
i keep sygate? disable nortons f/w? Keep nortons disable/remove sygate?

Your preference I suppose. I'm sure posters on here would argue one is better than the other. Me? I would say they are both capable.

Effectiveness of either is in the detail, i.e. configuration. Go with the one you find easisest to use / configure / interrogate log files in.

Oh, yeah! Un-install the one you decide you're not using. No point wasting disk space and clogging up your system! lol

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Oh, yeah! Un-install the one you decide you're not using. No point wasting disk space and clogging up your system! lol

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Especially if the one you are not going to use is Nortons. I have heard ( but can't verify) that Nortons changes some values and such that could cause you problems if not removed all the way. Thus I would believe it to be better safe than sorry.
And if you are going to use the Nortons, then it would be just to free up disk space.

:) Thanks for your suggestions. Seeing hows i paid over$100aud, for my
Norton, and $0.00 for Sygate, i think i will stick with Norton. This is also
a complete security package with, A/V , firewall, antispam and privacy tools.

The thing is the firewall is harder, or more advanced to configure than Sygates,
so i will be a little hesitant at first, but once i've configured it properly, i will be
safe from unwanted connections.

Thanks again for your advice.....

If you have more than one virus scanner running full time in the background this could cause your system to become very s...l...o....w. just a thought.
Also you said you were going to stick with Norton because you paid for it that might not be the best way to look at it. I find that AVG anti virus is better than Norton for my needs and that sygate makes a great free firewall that works just as well as Norton with out using up as many resources.
Just my two cents.

I agree with poser on this. AVG and Sygate both have less of a resource profile compared to NAV and NIS. The fact that they are also free helps out too. I find Sygate to have more advanced options than NIS, but with simpler controls. They don't get me confused as easily. Sygate gives it to me straight, no BS in the way. I hear kerio is the same way, but I can't vouch for it.

You should also think of getting Ad-aware 6 and Spybot search and destroy. They will get rid of all that bad stuff on there. And The more programs you have installed do slow down your comp. And maby you have a bad copy of norton if you downloaded it. And to help speed up a defrag is always a great thing today i do one around weekly sometimes twice a week that does help for sure. And you have a slim chance of being hacked unless you made a friend mad that may be rally smart or you are being targeted for doing something wrong.