Question : How to BEST  improve network performance and security?

Hi everyone,

  I'm using a PROLINK H6300G Wireless ADSL2+ 802.11g 4-Port Ethernet Firewall/Router. I currently have 4 computers in the LAN. 3 computers using Win XP Home and 1 computer using Win 7 Pro. I created the network following the instructions in Microsoft as to how to setup a small network long time ago. So I made a workgroup and now I'm able to files / printer. Also as of now, I'm using WPA2 key as a rounter password. In addition to these, I'm using AVAST in some and just started to use Microsoft Security Essentials on the other computers for virus protection.

 I'm planning to improve LAN / WLAN security so:

 1. How do I best protect my LAN  / WLAN from malicious attacks such as hacking and viruses?
 2. Do I need additional hardwares/softwares to do this, if yes, what are they?
      2.2 As for the moment,  are there any reliable freewares that can best do the security job?
      2.3 If I were to invest money, what are those software and hardware that'll help best protect my LAN /WLAN?

  Any other helpful information would gladly be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Answer : How to BEST  improve network performance and security?

Adding into my previous post, something I did omit because I was leaving for the office, was to install Sandboxie and teaching the users how to utilise it.  It can be downloaded here: http://www.sandboxie.com/index.php?DownloadSandboxie

As its name implies it keeps your browser operating in a protected part of computer memory and hard disk.  Once you are satisfied that a web site is okay, you can then take it out of the sandbox.  It has lots of features, is free, and gives good protection.  After all, what is better, removing a problem after its arrived, or stop it arriving in the first place?

By education, I was working on my daughters machine the other day and downloaded an app to help solve a problem when she said "I hope you are using Sandboxie, becuase if you aren't I'm not taking the blame for this."

Snibborg