posted
just get Zone Alarm and away u go. when its running you will see how much it is protecting your machine
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have to agree with Curtis on this. I have only had it set up for about 24 hrs but so far it has let NOTHING in to my computer that I didn't authorise.
It took me a little while to get used to the interface and how to interpret it's messages, but so far I am extremely happy. (Free is good!!! )
If I continue to like the way it works I will be upgrading to the full version.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
The firewall on my linksys router seems to do the job for me, but when I tried to use ZoneAlarm, I was always having to tweak the setting because there are constant auto-updates from Norton, windows, quickbooks etc. & although blocking unwanted traffic is needed... blocking traffic that is OK got to be cumbersome. I'm sure one could get the settings just right & I'm sure many here could do that with no trouble... but for me it was too much trouble & the firewall on my router seemed to do a good enough job with no effort.
Programs like ZoneAlarm are OK. but for real security you need a "real" hardware firewall.
However, a firewall is not going to solve all of the issues you are having. The article I linked to above will explain.
Anyone reading this that would like to test out just how secure they are can try this link out. More good reading / learning and a port scanner that will show you specifically where you are or are not vulnerable. It explains the differences between blocked and stealthed ports on your system etc...
Those of you that try the port scanner, it would be interesting I think if you would post your results and what type of firewall you were or were not using at the time.
My Linksys router, stealths all ports. I am invisible to the outside world.
Steve
-------------------- Steve Aycock Designs 3489 Oswald St. Johns Island, SC zaor@warpdriveonline.com Posts: 124 | From: Charleston, SC | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ray, One thing you can try is the following: Windows XP Users: Turn On The ICF
The ICF (Internet Connection Firewall) that ships with Windows XP doesn't have all the bells and whistles of third-party firewalls, but it does the most important job of blocking unsolicited incoming traffic from the Internet.
To enable or disable Internet Connection Firewall Open Network Connections Click the Dial-up, LAN or High-Speed Internet connection that you want to protect, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection. On the Advanced tab, under Internet Connection Firewall, select one of the following: To enable Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), select the Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet check box. To disable Internet Connection Firewall, clear the Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet check box.
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
see for a spyware remover too its the most reason when computer is slow an no one firewall stop spyware........ you can remove whit ad aware see for download on line its free c-ya
-------------------- rene st pierre quebec city canada
red & white 81 forever 666 Posts: 290 | From: quebec city | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well...After 5 days of running Zone Alarm and Spy Sweeper...I am a happy guy.
Zone Alarm is now configured the way I need it and neither it nor Spy Sweeper are popping up at all anymore.
No spyware, no nothing.
I DID discover that when I installed "Pop-up stopper" by Panicware that it immediately implanted spyware called "TVMedia" into my registry, but Spy Sweeper removed it and I then uninstalled the program.
I'm now looking for a pop-up blocker that DOESN'T install spyware.
Any suggestions folks?
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Hey Ray!! I have a router and Zone Alarm and several other programs that run to block those dastardly pop-ups and adware. Just the adware problem shut me down for almost a week and cost me almost $1,000 to fix. I called the company that made the adware and told them "If I ever get out to Washington state again I swear I will burn your building down." Zone Alarm is a bit of a pain at first, but after you get it going it's not bad. It's certainly not as bad as reformatting your drive. As far as the other stuff; I would (1) get a new email addy and let everyone you trust know. (2) Download Mozilla and use it instead of Internet Explorer; it's great and, unlike I.E., doesn't allow for all the pop-ups. As far as your internet slowing down and having crashes goes, use the "Disk Cleanup" feature in Windows about every week and then, after that, defrag your drive. Above all, backup your important files.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ray, Since I started using Mozilla Firefox for my browser, I haven't gotten a single virus or popup and my search engine hasn't been hijacked anymore.
I got rid of Internet Explorer.
[ October 11, 2004, 06:40 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Firefox is becomming one of the premierbrowsers around. No popups becasue there are no exploits to take advantage of.
And its fast. And its almost immune to a lot of other spyware, maleware and hijacking.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
I use a 4 port router as my firewall (LinkSys). It takes the internet connection from my cable modem and allows me to connect up to 4 PC's via cat-5 ethernet cables. Zonealarm is prolly the best known (free) software solution, however I found it needed a lot of user attention.
PC Performance slowdowns:
Spyware hops onto your PC in many ways. Some through "applets" from java scripts or quite simpler, "cookies" from websites that track your internet browsing habbits and then transmits the data back to their server. My wife had no less than 180 tracking cookies in her system that caused a 70% performance drop on her PC. This happens when all those cookies are "data-mining" and transmitting back, taking up percious CPU cycles.
I use AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com) to munch away at those little cookies. {Note: Cookies are not considered a BAD thing, but often get missused by websites. Their main functions are to remember things each time you visit the same website over and over again. Things like remembering your password, user settings and your last visit for their site, etc.}
Pop-Up's:
Windows XP series operating system has an SP2 upgrade. (Service Pack Two). By doing a Windows Update, Microsofts site will scan your PC for critical updates to patch security holes and bugs in system software. Included in SP2 is a popup blocker for Internet Explorer Browser. I was amazed at how well it worked.
I hope this helps.
P.S. Sue and I keep you and your family in our prayers.
[ October 13, 2004, 05:55 AM: Message edited by: Steve Dowden ]
-------------------- Steve Dowden _ _ ____ _ _
Sue Avery Signs Kountze, Texas Posts: 14 | From: Lumberton, Texas | Registered: Nov 2003
| IP: Logged |
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
)
Printer-friendly view of this topic