[Randy Rosenberg]

I installed the Google Toolbar without the Advanced Features a few weeks ago, and it is working great - it has blocked every pop-up that I used to receive.

I installed Ad-Aware about a year ago (the free version), and run it about every other day to clean out the spy cookies, and such. If you run Ad-Aware, then, like any virus software, you need to check for an updated .dat file regularly (like each time you run it).

Last, I installed a NetGear router/hub a couple of years ago - it works well with my cable model. From dslreports.com, I acquired their port probing filters for the model of router that I'm using. After installing these filters, I ran the port probe test from Gibson Reseach, and found that these filters blocked every port probe and reported that my firewall was "100% Stealth".

Additionally, my ISP provides for free a SPAM blocking service on their mail server called BrightMail. Comcast's implementation of this product, filters my email and separates the spam to folder other than INBOX, and deletes it after about 3 or 4 days, giving me the opportunity to review these emails before buck deleting them.

[edit: forgot to add] I'm running Mcafee's Virus and Firewall software also.

With all of this in place, I have no evidence of being hacked, infected by a virus, or overwhelmed with spam.

Hope this helps - YMMV,
Randy R...