First of all if you want to check your firewall you can go here:

https://www.grc.com/intro.htm

And go to "Services" to ShieldsUP!

Or you can go to:

http://www.pcflank.com/

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To test you Internet speed there are many places for example:

http://www.speedtest.net/

Or:

http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Or:

http://speedtest.comcast.net/

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That was mine just a few minutes ago, not too fast, but not too slow either.

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About firewalls, well I had made a mistake, I made some changes to the operating system like disabling too many "Services" and at least one of them I should not had.

If you are not going to use the "Windows firewall" you should yes, turn it off and then disable the "Security Center", but be very carefull and don't disable any other services unless you are sure that you know what you are doing.

Go to Start then to Settings then to Control Panel then to Administrative Tools then to Services.

Then to Security Center.

Yes, I have my WinXP set the same as I had my old Win98SE more or less, the classic settings.

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So I was wrong and the Sygate firewall is again working just fine, it is a very old firewall, kind of almost antique and yet it is the best firewall that there is anywhere on the world for WinXP and also for Win98SE.

It is state of the art, nothing but nothing still matches it, even the very newest firewalls are dirt when compared to the Sygate firewall and I am using the free version that is not as good as the pay registered version.

When they made the Sygate firewalls they broke the mold, no other forewall has ever been made that it is as good as it.

All that you have to do to it is install it and that is it.

But if you want to make it just a little better you can make at least 2 firewall rules.

By  the way even after so very many years you can still find the free version and download it.

It works for WinXP, and Win98SE I don't know if it would work for Windows 7 or 8.

Anyhow, if you want to set rules (But you don't have to, it works just great as it is).

Click on the firewall icon on the tray then goto:

"Tools", then to "Advanced Rules", then to Click on "Add", then on "Rule Description" put anything, give the rule a name, like "Block All In and Out".

Then click on "Hosts" and click on "All Addresses" that is chose that option, then click on "Ports and Protocols" then on "Protocol" chose "All" and then click on "O.K."

Now all trafic in and out of your Pc is blocked, nothing comes in nor out.

Now you need to make just one more rule, one that will let your browser go out (Outbound) of your Pc into the Internet.

Make one more rule in about the same way and move it all the way up so it is the very first rule, otherwise youir browser won't be able to go out into the Internet.

Tools to Advanced rules Make a name for the rule like "Let browser go outbound" then press on "Add" and chose "Allow this trafic" then go to "Hosts" "All Addresses" then "Ports and Protocols" and chose "TCP" and "Trafic Direction" "Outgoing" then go to "Applications" and find your bowser there the name of your browser like for mine it would be "Firefox" put a Check Mark to the left of Firefox and then click on O.K. and that is it.

Make sure that you move the Firefox rule all the way up or make it first otherwise you won't bbe able to get on the Internet.

Very easy right? Now you have the very most secure browser in the whole world.

And for free.