Originally Posted by stickyb
I get "TOTAL STEALTH" reports from ShieldsUp! - that's well worth a check.
You don't say what sort of internet connection you have. If it is adsl then you probably have NAT in the modem/Router, and therefore don't need any extra protection against incoming port attacks - the sort that ShieldsUp tests for. Zone Alarm etc is totally superfluous for that situation.
It is indeed ADSL, and I did indeed choose a modem/router with a good NAT firewall. That protects me from incoming, but doesn't do much about anything that might get onto the PC and try to connect outwards. ZA has done sterling service in preventing various Microsoft and Symantec spyware (and others) from communicating with "home".
And then, when I pick up the laptop and wander off into a hotel somewhere, I can be reasonably sure that I'm still protected.
The "overhead" for ZA plus AVG isn't that bad, compared with the risks they protect against. I'd recommend them both every time.