I'm going to take my new laptop on vacation this weekend and want to try public-access wifi. Am currently using Windows XP firewall (home edition,SP2 installed, all updates current). However, a guru friend has reommended I ditch the Windows firewall and install ZoneAlarm. Now I see, in some of Bleeping's forums, that ZoneAlarm updates are causing problems and that Sygate has been bought by Symantec and free firewall folks have been cut off from updates and support. Advice, please?

Although the freeware version of Sygate is no longer supported, it's still a good firewall.
You can find a link to the last freeware version here, along with a few other freeware firewalls, under the heading, Firewalls:
Freeware Replacements For Common Commercial Apps

I use Sygate Personal firewall 5.6 and i have had no problems before. Works great. I'd recommend to most people. Just follow tg's link and give it a good

James

I too use SyGate 5.6 and am very happy with it.

Just my 2 cents but do you have an Antivirus installed. As some have a compatible firewall with them.
By the way some free AV 's HERE

Yep, Boopme, I am running AVG anti-virus.
Using tg's link, I downloaded Sygate personal, disabled the WinXP firewall and am ready to run off to the coast and see what happens out there in the wi-fi world.
Thanks, folks.