Many thanks Zep: I unchecked "Clear history when FF closes" and that seems to have fixed it. I had looked under Options before I wrote, but thought I had always had the "Clear history..." choice selected. Apparently not, although how it was changed I don't know - I'm the only computer user in the house. - June

it does take a little getting used to and letting the program learn, it will pop up and ask you do you want to let such and such connect to the internet you will likely know what is asking because you are trying to use something that needs access so in those cases say yes, if it is something that needs to access it regularly like your antivirus check mark where it says remember this so it does not ask each time. Do not give server rights some things will ask but it is not necessary once you say no to server rights it will next pop up asking for access, that you can allow. If it is something you do not recognize asking then say no and see if you can determine what it is, if you had some type of malware that is trying to phone home you would not want to allow that access. I prefer mine to pop up and ask each time with some of the rarely used stuff I like to know what is connecting. When getting zonealarm or any other free firewall or any program actually be very alert during the install period and uncheck or do not allow the addition of any toolbars or extras, Zone alarm unfortunately now does try to include a toolbar with the free version, you do not want that toolbar. and if you have problems or questions just ask. When something like generic win 32 something ask for permission say yes or you will not be able to connect to the internet, that is one to check mark always allow. Yes as grandms said with cable you have a direct connection and with no router in between you and the internet that even more dictates the use of a software firewall. The benefit of a router with built in hardware firewall is great but I use both on my windows machines, actually my linux has guarddog firewall built into it so I even have one on linux. The link I had provided the main reason I do refer that link is that there are such good instructions and pictures for someone new to firewalls.

should not make any difference the service pack. Many computers simply could not install sp3 but if you have done all windows updates you pretty much have the biggest part of sp3 from those regular updates. I would try to power down and power up in sequence to see if that helps. power off to everything, computers, modem, router, everything connected. Let sit 5 mins, then power up in this order modem first let it get fully lit up, power up router let it get fully lit up, power up computers let them fully load till all activity has stopped then try it. Do you have a firewall on it? if so it could be something in the firewall settings, but if the power sequence does not work I would just try a quick system restore to the date when it was all working fine that may reset what ever got changed.

Thank you zep and ravencajun. I'm writing through a friend because now I can't log in to GW! Same old stupid thing of page had been cancelled, no connection blah blah. What I did before writing in the first time was run disc clean, defragmentation, ad ware SE Personal and yes I had rebooted. Since then I have run the ATF cleaner, run the complete scan on superantispyware, unplugged every wire in the back of the tower, replugged. Apprently IE is down also because I clicked on the e and got the same message of not being able to display this page. However this page did give me a place to click on diagnose. It said "Windows could not detect any wired or wireless network cards cards on your machine. If you are connecting to the Internet through a phone line using a dial up connection you will need to contact your ISP. Otherwise please make your your network card drivers are installed properly." Why would they suddenly disappear? I don't think I deleted any programs. Answers for zep: Mozilla says page load error, Firefox can't find the server .The browser could not find the host server for the provided address. IE sigh, I want to say I upgraded to 7 but don't know where I would find the info except on the now defunct IE page. It is an elderly Dell computer, I have Windows XP. Thanks for your help, Kabby