Firewall / Antivirus?

[CarbHeat]

Well, it is time to bite the bullet and purchase firewall and anti virus software - for three machines.  I am using Norton Internet Security 2003.  Should I just upgrade it to 2005 or switch to McAfee? or something else?  I also run AdSubtract Pro.  I try to remember to disable both of these products before starting up AH.  About monthly I run Spy-bot - Search and Destroy.

Looking for advice.

Thanks in advance

Carb
aka Mike

[Makarov]

Carb,

AVG is a free, excellent Anti-virus program. I've used it for over three years now. The latest 7 version is really well done.

AVG Anti-Virus

As for a firewall look into ZoneAlarm or Kerio.

 

[Ghosth]

I recently had a problem with a couple of trojans and some nasty spyware.

After trendmicro's housecall said I was clean AVG found 12 virus's still left on my machine.

That was all I needed to make me a believer.

 


 

[forHIM]

As for a firewall, with 3 comps, I'm going to assume you are home networked and on a DLS/cable modem.  In this scenario, I'd recommend a hardware firewall like that can manage your cable/dsl connection and then filter things at a packet level.  It's still good to have a software firewall if you're really parinoid.  Zone Alarm is a good one.

 

[CarbHeat]

... with 3 comps, I'm going to assume you are home networked and on a DLS/cable modem.  ...

My home network.....Road Runner cable modem to LinkSys 4 port router.  Router to LinkSys Switch.  Four hard lines running from switch.  My game machine, the family's Dell, my wife's laptop for work and if my son is home from college, to his machine.  Router to LinkSys WAP.  WAP to a Dell upstairs that my daughter uses.  I believe the Router handles the local net IP addresses.

Hey.....I bet I just figured out why the WAP computer is not part of my local network.  That machine gets to the internet fine but does not see the rest of the inhouse computers.  Question...Is the local network restricted to ports on the switch in this configuration?

And yes forHIM, I am a bit paranoid.  My daughter has overloaded the family and upstairs Dell's two times each with so many trojans that they would barely boot.  After she leaves the house, I won't be so paranoid   .  I will look into Zone Alarm.  What about just using Window's XP built in fire wall?

Hmmm ... 2 solid recommendations for AVG anti-virus.  And it is FREE !!!  FREE is GOOD  :cheers:   Unless I hear differently, I will be installing that package.


Other thoughts still welcome.

Thanks
Carb
aka Mike

[daddog]

I have had some real issues with McAfee before. Their support was really below par. I have had zero problems with Norton. Never tried AVG. How do they make their $ guys? Nothing is free these days?

Also suggest you download AdAware and Spybot.

 

[Makarov]

Review of AVG 7:
http://www.webuser.co.uk/products/Grisoft_...eview_2269.html

They only charge if a business uses it.

 

[starbird]

Your router shouldn't have any restrictions on ports to local systems. Make sure that your wireless computer is on the same subnet, and that its looking at the same windows workgroup as the others.

You could try pinging to and from your wireless system just to make sure that packets are getting to it, but that shouldn't be the problem if you're getting out to the internet with it.

[forHIM]

Carb -- is the linksys 4 port a "switch" or a cable modem router?  If it is the later, it could have some built-in firewalling.  It may also be why your WAP doesn't access the other components of the network.  My linksys 4 port router/firewall has a DMZ host/port -- If enabled, the server is accessible to the internet and is not completely "trusted" on the other 3 ports -- that is to say only certain traffic can come from that port to the other 3.

If you get a chance, shoot me the model number on an email or PM here.  I'll do a little research on it and either confirm or deny if it has firewalling.  The trogans, etc. that your daughter are downloading should be caught by an up to date virus scanner and a spybot/adaware types tool.  The firewall won't prevent users from hurting themselves.
 

[CarbHeat]

forHim

Since you asked, here are the details along with a new issue:

Cable Modem - Toshiba PCX2500 provided by cable company
Router - LinkSys BEFSR41
WAP - LinkSys WAP54G
Switch - LinkSys EZXS55W

CM output to router WAN port
router port 4 to WAP
router port 3 to switch port 1
router ports 2, 1 and Uplink empty
switch ports 2 through 5 to various computers
switch Uplink port empty

Just yesterday I uninstalled Norton from the family Dell (one of the switch ports)
I installed AVG.  It immediately found a virus.  I healed it.  Now when that machine boots it gives an error messasge that it did not install TCP/IP protocal and that machine is no longer visible on my local net nor can I get to the internet on it.  I tried to use the network wizard to reinstall a network connection and I get a message that it has failed and shuts down.

BTW - AVG installed just great on my gaming machine after I uninstalled Norton.  But, there was no virus found.

Carb
aka Mike

[forHIM]

Ok the linksys does have packet filtering and port lock down.

Looking through the manual now to see if port 4 is the DMZ'd port.  Doesn't appear to be a DMZ'd port by default.  There is the ability to turn off internet activity, so I'd check with that.  However, the WAP failure to talk to the other PCs is most likely due to not using the uplink port.

I'd try the following on the 4 port router to switch setup:

Uplink on router to port 1 on switch or the uplink port.  Using the uplink port on either device will disable port 1 on that device as they are shared and its an either or situation.

As for the AVG system not working, the "virus" actually may have been a valid network driver file.  Are you using DHCP on the linksys bfr to server your networks IP addresses or are you assigning them?  If assigning them, you may want to remove the network device and let windows discover it again and add the appropriate drivers.  Or you could just attempt to install the drivers for the NIC again.

Shoot me an email if you run into problems.

 

[Wanker]

As for the AVG system not working, the "virus" actually may have been a valid network driver file.

Ouch!  

[forHIM]

re: ouch

I've had anit-spyware software attempt to remove one of my legitimate applications before.  The file name happened to be one the malware writers used and it trigged the spyware.  I haven't seen this on the AV before, but in theory the checksums and code fragements in a legitimate application/file could trigger AV.