NAT and Zonealarm are two different beasts. It is not a which is better
comparison. In your case NAT is what lets you connect multiple computers to
a home high speed connection. The router prevents (unless you start opening
up in bound ports aka forwarding) unsolicited connections from reaching your
PCs so as a rule your file sharing is safe. Zonealarm is still not a bad
thing to run in case you ever do allow an inbound connection (forwarding
again or the dmz host option). ZA is a personal firewall which serves to
stop unauthorized inbound connections. It does nothing for sharing an
internet connection which is what NAT is doing for you. ZA also will alert
you to your pcs trying to make outbound connections which is good for
detecting spyware phoning home. Such spyware comes down from web pages and
other software you install but do not realize it adds other things (hence
spyware).

Just keep running both and you will be fine.


"Brian Reed" wrote in message
newsH20b.12325$ev.2320300@twister.nyc.rr.com...
> Hello,
>
> I have two Windows XP pro machines. They share a router for Internet
> access. I don't have any system problems. "Sharing" files between the
> two systems works.
>
> But, I would like to know something more about the network setting "File
> and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks". That is the setting I have
> turned on for both my computers to share network resources.
>
> I've heard that enabling "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft
> Networks" is inherently dangerous. I use NAT (on Linksys router) and
> ZoneAlarm Pro on both machines.
> Is NAT better than ZoneAlarm?
> Is ZoneAlarm better than NAT?
> Do I need ZoneAlarm if I have NAT on the router?
> Should I just keep using both?
>
> If I continue to use "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks"
> and continue to "share" certain folders and files what external Internet
> threats may I encounter? What are the risks involved?
>
> I see no other way to share files and folders between the two systems
> other than enabling "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks".
> Is there something I should be doing?
>
> Thank you.
>
> Brian
>