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If fear of an imminent hack makes you paranoid, you may want to consider two new firewall options for your PC or network. In informal tests, Sphinx PC Firewall, an application from Biodata Information Technology, and the Tele2 Internet Security Appliance firewall hardware from SonicWall, blocked probes and intrusions, but used very different approaches to accomplish the task.

Like all other software firewalls, Sphinx needs to be installed on each computer you want to protect. Configuring Sphinx on every Windows-based PC on a large network would be a chore, but Sphinx can protect PCs that use analog modems as well as LANs.

The $49 shipping copy of Sphinx that I examined could use some polish, especially on the interface. It's easy to set the firewall to allow some common applications--such as e-mail clients--to connect to the outside world. But if you use an application the menus don't list (like Napster), you're on your own. With no contextual help, or even a user FAQ on the Sphinx Web site, you may spend a fairly long time trying to figure out how to tweak Sphinx's advanced settings, which define the ports applications can or can't use.

By contrast, a single $595 Tele2 can protect up to five computers--regardless of the operating systems they use--and it offers optional virus protection as well as filters that you can set to block offensive Web sites.

However, the Tele2--a box that accepts a standard 10Base-T ethernet plug on one end and connects to a PC's ethernet port on the other--can't protect a computer that dials out to the Internet using a common internal 56-kbps analog modem.

You configure the Tele2 via a familiar Web-style interface. Unlike Sphinx, the Tele2 requires you to enter your Windows networking information into the firewall's internal interface and then change your PC's settings to ones that work with the firewall box. Fortunately, a quick setup guide takes the pain out of this potentially tough process.

The setup menus on the shipping Tele2 I looked at accommodate more applications than the Sphinx software does, so you can enable the firewall to permit games, Napster, and other varieties of programs more easily. The Tele2 has a dynamic addressing server, so you can also use it to share a single broadband connection among several computers, but you'll still need a hub to connect the device to more than one PC on your LAN.

If you don't mind delving into the technical details of a powerful (but poorly documented) software firewall, Sphinx offers a lower-cost alternative to Symantec's popular and user-friendly (but not highly configurable) Norton Personal Firewall. If you need to protect more than a couple of networked PCs, or you want something that can protect all your computers, no matter which operating system they use, then the SonicWall Tele2 makes a great (albeit somewhat pricey) choice.

SUMMARY

Sphinx PC Firewall PRO: Inexpensive, highly configurable, powerful firewall protection for individual PCs. CON: Advanced settings require advanced understanding of networking principles. VALUE: Best for users who are experts or use the Web sparingly. List price: $49, $42 for the downloadable version. Biodata Information Technology 510/647-0540 www.sphinxwall.com

SUMMARY

Tele2 Internet Security Appliance PRO: Easy to use with networked applications, works with any PC operating system. CON: Correcting network settings can take time; doesn't work with analog modems; expensive. VALUE: Relatively easy to set up for a small broadband LAN. List price: $595 SonicWall 408/752-7819 www.sonicwall.com