[lin robinson]

Does your host have fantastico or other pre-installed forums?

Don't take this wrong, because I have no idea what you are doing or your level of experience, but I would say unless your have a really good, solid reason to have a forum, don't do it.

They are a lot of work and trouble and attract problems. Also a badly-attended forum looks bad, like the site isn't doing well.

Anything allowing input to your site from outside can be a security problem.

Also there are often other ways to handle the situation, such as a wordpress blog allowing responses.

Anyway, think it over, is all I'm saying.