Comodo just came out with a free internet suite - they have had a high rated free firewall for ages now they added a more rounded protection.

If you take it places and go onto open wifi/hot spots , much better security & firewall is a good idea.
Are you using the standard Microsoft windows firewall?

If you surf the net a browser add on is a good idea too - like WOT {web of trust}
it will color code safe and not safe websites - so you know what ones not to click on.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post479619-4.html

I'd look into the warranty before spending any money to fix problems with the netbook. you might void it.

http://download.cnet.com/Comodo-Inte...otTopicsBody.4

[Resource management is better than before, with hogging all but eliminated. It provides a smorgasbord of information and options for advanced users, but it's simple enough for beginners, and runs smoothly and silently in the background. The version 3 interface utilizes a plain white color scheme and replaces old terminology with more intuitive terms such as Summary, Firewall, Defense, and Miscellaneous. In each, there are links to relevant security issues so users can drill down to learn more about how the firewall is performing. The firewall rears its head most often when Security Alerts ask about new Internet connections as the program "learns" your computer's behavior.]