If you use a cable modem it is IMPARITIVE that you have some form of firewall protection. (I use black ice) With a cable modem your IP address begins w/ a 24. That means you are connected 24 hrs a day. (We pay a flat fee for unlimited internet use, so when puter is on, we are connected to internet). Many people for whom you need protection from often search for any active IP adress that begins with that 24. Not being an experienced computer person, I'm not sure what all the different Port probes mean. It was explained to me that someone can access your computer, so they can use your computer to do things they shouldnt be. Another reason is to gain access to your computer so they can access some files of importance. (your money manager, pay online programs, etc) If caught, the problem falls on your lap. Most are trojan probes (looking for programs that you may have accidently loaded that allow others to access your computer), different port probes are often tried. Once again, I'm not qualified to give technical details, just wanted to inform everyone that use a cable modem to get some firewall protection. We average about 15-20 "attacks/probes" per day.