Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- From: jimrainfordson@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: 30 May 2006 06:57:01 -0700
Thanks for taking your time to help me Phil,
I'm sold on getting an external router. I need to do a little more
study, but your brief explanation has helped a lot. So the IP of the
router is the only one seen publically and that IP is the one assigned
by the ISP (dynamically).
I'll be sure and get a router that supports NAT and DHCP, but as you
mention this doesn't stop outgoing transmissions which I'll have to
handle with a a sofware firewall. Can I throw money at it and get a
router that DOES regulate outgoing transmissions? Is there anything
else I should look for in a router? I figure this is one of the things
I'll keep upgrade after upgrade so I'm not afraid to spend some money
on it.
Is the wireless feature and advantage just becuase it's easier to use
or is there more to it than that? Would I be at risk of the next door
neighbor kid hacking in and pulling my data "out of the air" so to
speak?
Unless I hear good reasons not to, I'm planning to say with Zone Alarm
(the free version). I need to put a little more thought into the
anti-virus program. Of course I'd like to use donation based software,
but it doesn't sound like they are up to par. My biggest fear is still
malware that will steal a username or password. I routinely (2 or 3
times a year) wipe clean and reinstall the partition that contains my
OS and applications (using True Image 9). In this way I get a clean
start with any spyware that I may have not seen, but it also means I
have to update everything again. I realize some malware can survive
repartioning and reimaging. Also, I have other partitions (used
mostly for storage, one for running games) that I do not regularly
reformat/reimage.
I have spent some time with "Shiled's UP" particularly when I used to
run win 98. I didn't realize XP had similar open port problems. When
I have time a little later, I'll download and check out the Norton post
probing link you offered. I assume it doesn't raise false alarms like
some websites do. I seem to recall symatec doing that years ago, but I
could be wrong. It's a good link and I check it out. Thanks.
I do use anti-spyware software from time to time. So far no problems
other than tracking cookies.
I have used Web Washer in the past, but I'll check out Super Ad
Blocker. I'm not really willing to pay much or any money for an ad
blocker. I'll update my hosts lists as well. I'm a lot more open to
having extra software running now that I have the bandwidth to handle
it and more importantly, to handle the automated updates.
I'm quite ignorant on the way XP assigns user account and
administrative privledges. All I know is that I have one user account
which I thought I was forced to create, otherwise I would have just
launched XP under one simple account. Chances are I DO have
administrator privledges assigned because I've never had a problem
doing anything locally under the "user account" I always use. I'll do
my homework.
I do use strong passwords but I don't think I can bring myself to type
in a password with every boot. I certainly don't keep social security
or credit card numbers on my hard drive. I guess the only risk would
be some kind of online shopping transaction, but that's done through
encryption.
Caling my financial institution for more info is good advice I'll soon
take up. I don't know how practical it will be separating the gaming
from the non-gaming computer due to the hardware that I'd prefer to
share. If there's just no way to separate the gaming machine from
machine that will be occassionally logging into financial institutions,
then I guess I'll have to just stop doing those kinds of things online.
It's a real shame becuase I love the convenience, but the hassle and
cost of maintaining two seperate PCs just makes it not worth it.
Oh, the email I use here is real, but it's for a throw-away yahoo mail
account that I never check. I've been using Google Groups to post here
and so far I haven't discovered how to make it hide my email addy (or
to do an inline post). I was aware of the issues you raise regarding
spammers and usent and email addys. All good points. I'll probably
get some decent usent software somehwere down the line, but for now my
plate is full with other issues.
I'm very thankful for your help and advice Phil. I've got some
homework to do but I'll be back with more replies when I have time.
Jim
.
- Follow-Ups:
- Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- From: Phil Weldon
- Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- References:
- Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- From: jimrainfordson
- Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- From: Phil Weldon
- Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- Prev by Date: Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- Next by Date: Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- Previous by thread: Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- Next by thread: Re: Another Newbie asking "Which Anti-Virus Sofware is the Best?"
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
Loading
