Looking for the perfect password protection program

I have scoured the web looking for information about password protection for entire sites and member management software. I have learned a few things:

1. The majority of site password protection CGI scripts make use of Apache's mod_rewrite module, .htaccess and .htpasswrd, all of which I know nothing about and not sure if they are included with my host provider, NoMonthlyFees.com (NMF) because I can't find reference to them in NMF's server stats and this is one question that NMF's support people won't answer. I think it's frowned upon if you mess with their .htaccess and .htpasswrd.

Nonetheless, in configuring some of the shareware/trialware scripts I've downloaded just to get an idea of what it's about makes me wonder if I need a degree in computer science! They want me to change the configuration of files I've never heard about and wouldn't know where to find! I probably don't have access to them anyway! Some of the programs make use of "crontab" and others don't. The one's that don't say this is a definite advantage over the ones that do. Some use this thing called "image tagging" which I don't know about and still others use cookies vs. the .htaccess route and claim their methods are better. And some scripts are in PHP and I know nothing about PHP. Some of them are on the configuration level I'm at (intermediate CGI knowledge) but then they don't offer the top-notch security against hackers, hurlers, brute force attacks and password thieves, and they do not prevent password trading/sharing and bandwidth thieves, all of which I'm looking for in site password protection script or program.

2. Prices vary between $50 and $2,000 US. I could afford something in the area of $100 US. Mind you, the programs running $500-$2,000 are basically suited for porno sites and the like, which I'm not running.

3. There are companies/sites that password protect your site from their end and you pay them a monthly fee. I don't like the idea of more monthly fees. Bandwidth fees are enough for me as it is. So ix-nay this idea.

My dilemma now? I can't find a reasonably-priced site password protection script/program that does what I want. I don't want to add code to each page that needs protection. I want to install a script or program and just let the darn thing do what it's supposed to and automatically stop anybody in their tracks who tries to break into my members site, steal their passwords, use brute force to get in, whatever.

Have any of you, in your immense travels around the web and in your vast web experience as web developers, heard of, used, or can recommend such a site password protection CGI script or program that won't break my bank?

Any and all advice is appreciated. *S*