Router? Firewall? - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

zachtheterrible · 3rd October 2005, 04:33 AM

A friend of mine wants me to do a complete overhaul of their computer because its loaded with viruses and spyware and what not. I told them that I'd do it, but it's just going to happen again because they have high-speed and they're just sittin' there soaking it up whenever the computer is on.

Is there a way to not let in viruses and what not by using a physical piece of hardware like a router or firewall or something? I'm quite inexperienced in the world of broadband internet and I need a little help here so that I can appear smart to my friend :lol:

instruite · 3rd October 2005, 05:32 AM

Hi,
Firewall is not a hardware its software which controls the access to the various internet site and it has to be configured as per the requirement.
But I have friends who inspite of having firewalls have viruses on their computers
I use Norton antivirus system and keep it updated and have configured it to check all the files before downloading
And Ocassionally I also get my computer checked with some online virus check facility just to make sure Norton is not lagging behind in terms of viruses definitions and my computer is not having a virus which norton doesnt know
And till date I have not got any virus on my personal Laptop

Someone Electro · 3rd October 2005, 05:50 AM

If the ruouter has a firewall(Wich most probobly has)Then i will help if you thurn it on.What the hardware firewall wil do is make your PC invisible in the internet.All of the ports will apear closed.You can laso set it not to respond to a ping wich will look like that IP dosent even exsist.It will only let trough what you reqested from the internet.

**Nigel Goodwin** · 3rd October 2005, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachtheterrible

A friend of mine wants me to do a complete overhaul of their computer because its loaded with viruses and spyware and what not. I told them that I'd do it, but it's just going to happen again because they have high-speed and they're just sittin' there soaking it up whenever the computer is on.

Is there a way to not let in viruses and what not by using a physical piece of hardware like a router or firewall or something? I'm quite inexperienced in the world of broadband internet and I need a little help here so that I can appear smart to my friend :lol:

If they are running Windows XP, try downloading the free Anti-Spyware beta from MicroSoft, I've found that's by far the best at both removing spyware and preventing it.

The free anti-virus AVG seems to work well, I've recently recovered a laptop full of virus's and spyware by installing those two programs.

I would recommend a decent router anyway, it's Firewall will help to prevent attacks to some extent, personally I like the Belkin ones, and they also allow you to block specific websites, even just for specific computers.

samcheetah · 3rd October 2005, 10:26 AM

in my experience, the best firewall that i have found is Outpost Pro. i personally use Outpost Pro with NOD32 antivirus and i usually dont have much problems with viruses.

but i also recommend that you use a router with built-in firewall. that would be much effective than using a firewall software installed on windows. i cant comment on Anti-Spyware beta from Microsoft because i havent tried it yet. but i have tried ad-aware and spyware doctor and both of them are great. i highly recommend ad-aware.

i hope that helps

dipal_z · 3rd October 2005, 10:42 AM

The purpose of firewall is to isolate your computer from the internet. It prevents hackers to take control of your pc and restrict access to sites based on your needs. Thus it’s not really a virus guard.
So even if you have firewall software you will need anti-virus software as well. Any anti-virus software should be kept up-to-date as well by installed new virus definition files. According to me for a single computer only anti-virus software is sufficient to take care of virus attack.

madmikejt12 · 3rd October 2005, 03:27 PM

it is not advisable to run two firewalls at once as they can interfere with each other.
I use McAfee personal firewall plus, Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE and AVG anti-virus, i find that these all work very wel

**Nigel Goodwin** · 3rd October 2005, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samcheetah

i cant comment on Anti-Spyware beta from Microsoft because i havent tried it yet. but i have tried ad-aware and spyware doctor and both of them are great. i highly recommend ad-aware.

I've found the Microsoft one far better than Ad-Aware, Spyware Doctor, or Spybot - the Microsoft one clears infections that they don't find. It's a pity it's XP only :cry:

zachtheterrible · 3rd October 2005, 11:41 PM

Cool, so I'll get a router with a built-in firewall.

Quote:

You can laso set it not to respond to a ping wich will look like that IP dosent even exsist.It will only let trough what you reqested from the internet.

Yes, that's what I was hoping a firewall would do electro.

I'm not that worried about viruses. The way that one gets them is through e-mail or going to specific websites, or if another computer finds you (which a router w/ firewall will protect against). I will install those antivirus programs that you recommended though Nigel.

Thanks for the help everybody. Now I can appear smart :lol:

Someone Electro · 4th October 2005, 04:45 AM

My fremd tryed it out with an port scaner and it looked like my mini "LAN" (2 PCs,1 Router and 1 ADSL modem)dosent exsist.

madmikejt12 · 4th October 2005, 08:37 PM

Quote:

I'm not that worried about viruses. The way that one gets them is through e-mail or going to specific websites, or if another computer finds you (which a router w/ firewall will protect against). I will install those antivirus programs that you recommended though Nigel.

im not too bothered about viruses, its spyware thats a pain in the a*!@?, i will try the microsoft anti-spyware Nigel

Phasor · 7th October 2005, 01:12 AM

Also make sure that your friend is using Firefox, and not IE. Since moving to Firefox, my spyware problems have reduced by 99.9%.

Someone Electro · 7th October 2005, 04:38 AM

One of the many resosns im using Firefox.

**Nigel Goodwin** · 7th October 2005, 09:05 AM

Talking of Firefox, I've just installed it at home - solely because IE6 won't download files any more?. If you click on a download link, a PDF file, or an attachment on this forum, you get a message 'unable to connect to file'.

It worked fine until the other day, does anyone know how to cure it? - I'm quite happy using Firefox, but it's just annoying!.

**Jay.slovak** · 7th October 2005, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Talking of Firefox, I've just installed it at home - solely because IE6 won't download files any more?. If you click on a download link, a PDF file, or an attachment on this forum, you get a message 'unable to connect to file'.

It worked fine until the other day, does anyone know how to cure it? - I'm quite happy using Firefox, but it's just annoying!.

Wow, wasn't that you who told us not to use "exotic" browsers? LOL I just like to see you switched to FireFox too.
I don't know how to use your "problem" because I don't use IE6 anymore.
8)

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3rd October 2005, 04:33 AM	(permalink)
zachtheterrible	Router? Firewall? A friend of mine wants me to do a complete overhaul of their computer because its loaded with viruses and spyware and what not. I told them that I'd do it, but it's just going to happen again because they have high-speed and they're just sittin' there soaking it up whenever the computer is on. Is there a way to not let in viruses and what not by using a physical piece of hardware like a router or firewall or something? I'm quite inexperienced in the world of broadband internet and I need a little help here so that I can appear smart to my friend :lol: __________________ I'm no electronics god, i just talk too much.

3rd October 2005, 05:32 AM	(permalink)
instruite	Hi, Firewall is not a hardware its software which controls the access to the various internet site and it has to be configured as per the requirement. But I have friends who inspite of having firewalls have viruses on their computers I use Norton antivirus system and keep it updated and have configured it to check all the files before downloading And Ocassionally I also get my computer checked with some online virus check facility just to make sure Norton is not lagging behind in terms of viruses definitions and my computer is not having a virus which norton doesnt know And till date I have not got any virus on my personal Laptop __________________ Instruite http://www.icesociety.org ===================== Ideas that work, Concepts that sell. =====================

3rd October 2005, 05:50 AM	(permalink)
Someone Electro	If the ruouter has a firewall(Wich most probobly has)Then i will help if you thurn it on.What the hardware firewall wil do is make your PC invisible in the internet.All of the ports will apear closed.You can laso set it not to respond to a ping wich will look like that IP dosent even exsist.It will only let trough what you reqested from the internet. __________________ Il give you shocking experience.

3rd October 2005, 10:26 AM	(permalink)
samcheetah	in my experience, the best firewall that i have found is Outpost Pro. i personally use Outpost Pro with NOD32 antivirus and i usually dont have much problems with viruses. but i also recommend that you use a router with built-in firewall. that would be much effective than using a firewall software installed on windows. i cant comment on Anti-Spyware beta from Microsoft because i havent tried it yet. but i have tried ad-aware and spyware doctor and both of them are great. i highly recommend ad-aware. i hope that helps __________________ Beginner's Guide to Microcontrollers

3rd October 2005, 10:42 AM	(permalink)
dipal_z	The purpose of firewall is to isolate your computer from the internet. It prevents hackers to take control of your pc and restrict access to sites based on your needs. Thus it’s not really a virus guard. So even if you have firewall software you will need anti-virus software as well. Any anti-virus software should be kept up-to-date as well by installed new virus definition files. According to me for a single computer only anti-virus software is sufficient to take care of virus attack.

3rd October 2005, 03:27 PM	(permalink)
madmikejt12	it is not advisable to run two firewalls at once as they can interfere with each other. I use McAfee personal firewall plus, Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE and AVG anti-virus, i find that these all work very wel

4th October 2005, 04:45 AM	(permalink)
Someone Electro	My fremd tryed it out with an port scaner and it looked like my mini "LAN" (2 PCs,1 Router and 1 ADSL modem)dosent exsist. __________________ Il give you shocking experience.

7th October 2005, 01:12 AM	(permalink)
Phasor	Also make sure that your friend is using Firefox, and not IE. Since moving to Firefox, my spyware problems have reduced by 99.9%.

7th October 2005, 04:38 AM	(permalink)
Someone Electro	One of the many resosns im using Firefox. __________________ Il give you shocking experience.

7th October 2005, 09:05 AM	(permalink)
Nigel Goodwin	Talking of Firefox, I've just installed it at home - solely because IE6 won't download files any more?. If you click on a download link, a PDF file, or an attachment on this forum, you get a message 'unable to connect to file'. It worked fine until the other day, does anyone know how to cure it? - I'm quite happy using Firefox, but it's just annoying!. __________________ PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at: http://www.winpicprog.co.uk