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That's right, no one can laugh at subyluvr anymore for talking to the Internet with two cups and a string. I now have a bonafide DSL connection through BellSouth, and it rocks! To sound cliché, I don't have to hear that weird dial-up noise anymore, I just open the browser and I'm good!

Gotta run to work, but while I do, you all can give me some tips on how to keep myself secure. I've been putting off a NAV update for sometime now, I'm planning on getting it soon. Anything else?

FIREWALL! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET A FIREWALL!
I hate it when n00bs get high speed and then wonder why their shit gets all fucked up. Yes, get NAV updated and all that jazz.
What windows you running? XP, i would assume, so my favorite program, BlackIceDefender, would be out, unless they make an XP version. If you're running windows9x, see me, and I'll get it to you free. (even a code!)
Keep a tight watch on your ports, and that should keep you from getting too many virii and what not.
With speed comes responsibility...

I'm still on Dialup..

I had two firewalls enabled and McAfee and Norton antivirus programs both running and I still got viruses! Hmmph!!

First things first, get a router. Hardware firewalls are the first step in preventing malicious crap. Then get yourself a software firewall of some sort. Norton Internet Security (firewall) also comes with Norton AntiVirus. Otherwise, you can use ZoneAlarm for free. Welcome to the REAL internet

-Brian

Windows xp's built in firewall works fine for me...

I suggest a router, and that...

Hide your IP address with a Routed address, and throw the FW on the XP. bada boom.

NAV for virus'
and Windows Update

I'm just using a router with built in firewall, xp, and yahoo internet, which has a dynamic ip. Works great and doesn't interefere with programs... too much.

The one problem with highspeed, be it DSL or cable: you can never go back to dialup... Its just too painful having to wait!

Ya it is. I'm totally spoiled by my cable modem. Dial up is not an option ever again.

I use Zone Alarm Pro for a firewall and it works good.

Welcome to the real world!

I can't stress this enough. A HARDWARE firewall is ten times better than any software firewall. By the time a software firewall engages malicious packets, they're already hitting your PC!

1. Router
2. Sound router configuration
3. Software firewall (if you feel your router config is lacking)
4. Best practice internet browsing

Have fun!

Okay, n00b questions:

- Where do I put the router? Before the DSL modem, after, what?
- If my computer is off (if I'm not using it, it's off), is it still vulnerable?

I'm using XP as most everyone figured. Computer is only about 6 mos old.

I've already got the Bloodhound virus, but I can't do anything about it until I update NAV, and it didn't seem to be affecting anything.

I'm just itching to get home tonight to DL a song

I've been on high speed ever since I started college in 97.....it's like crack...except worse....you can't go back to dial up. I have to deal with it when I'm traveling....but I just really don't do much, other then check email.

As for protection. Get yourself a linksys 4-port router/switch. They can be had for like 40 bucks, and configured properly, will give you all the protection you'll need.

There's no reason to run a software firewall behind a hardware firewall that's properly setup.

Until you get a hardware router, enable xp's software firewall....it's decent.

If your computer is physically off, it is not vulnerable.

Here....have fun
norton anti-virus 8.1 corporate. Same thing as the one you can get off the shelf, except the updates subscription won't expire after a year
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... 81corp.zip

just uninstall what you got on there and install this.

got problems, let me know.

I run the linksys router I mentioned above and symantec gateway email virus scanner for exchange.....I've not gotten a virus get through since installing it.

You can enable the corp version to scan incoming email and delete/clean if there's a virus in there.

Short of you clicking on something on the web or going to funky sites that load crap....you shouldn't get any virii

here here.... any numbnut that took a cs class can get through a software firewall... (oops, didnt cut that part) However, if you are going to get a router, you should get some network monitoring software or at least a good port monitor for your pc. There are quite a few decent ones available on the freeware sites. Those programs don’t do much except give you a good feel for what goes in and out of your computer. I'm surprised vrg hasn’t piped in yet....

At any rate, that’s my two cents... but hey, I also say everyone should abandon XP, etc. and switch to a UNIX based OS... Microsoft is the devil, I boycott them.
Cheers

Solaris anyone?





. . .anyone?

Josh - Nav 9.0 is out - 8.1 is not very good anymore..

I don't really have much useful stuff to say about Windows XP, except that I can't use it and I'd never trust it.

I use OpenBSD on my desktop that's connected to the internet, and either OpenBSD or Linux on my other machines.

Peoples' suggestions about using "hardware" firewalls seem like pretty good advice as far as I can tell... Basically, any router that's marketed at end users has a firewall in it too. You plug it into your DSL modem, and your computer into it. What happens is the router creates a private network between itself and your computer, so your computer only talks to the router. Then the router can relay your computer's requests and stuff out to the internet. Stuff coming in from the internet goes back to the router, and the router only forwards it to your computer if it's relevant to a conversation your computer's already having with another computer on the internet.

There are two software packages that I've heard are good to install and keep up-to-date in addition to antivirus stuff: AdAware and SpyBot. Apparently they're both anti-spyware-type thingies. I think they're both free.

Oh, and install and use Mozilla FireFox as your web browser; avoid using Internet Explorer (the Swiss cheese of web browsers) if you can.

Hm. I guess I did have something useful to say.

Why is NAV 9 better than 8.1? Don't they work off the same signatures database?

Different engine - so the old engine cannot detect the viruses, even if the sigs are up to date.

Can you play PS2 Online with a router? I had Cable internet when I was in school at WyoTech and I've been meaning to get the service since I got back. I've been having withdrawals.

totech - Oh, that makes sense.

createnew - I would imagine that many online games require you to poke holes in the firewall.

Okay, I set my XP firewall up temporarily.

Josh- thanks a bazillion for letting me DL NAV. The fact that I DL'ed it in 7 minutes is enough to put a big grin on my face!!!

Vikash,
What is your opinion of gentoo linux? I'm thinking of switching over to gentoo and I basically want a OS that utilizes my AMD 64.

createnew wrote:Can you play PS2 Online with a router? I had Cable internet when I was in school at WyoTech and I've been meaning to get the service since I got back. I've been having withdrawals.

I believe so, createnew, I play FFXI with several people who use DSL with router.

Gentoo seems cool. I don't keep up with all the distributions; Slackware's the one I'm closest to understanding. But I've watched a few people install Gentoo and it seems pretty slick. I say give it a try. You can always wipe it and install something else after trying it for a week.

YES! YES! Some form of UNIX! I'm with art/vikash on this one.. Solaris, RedHat, Mandrake.. Any kind of linux you wanna run, do it! Absolutely no viruses --ever! I'm just porting my retarded friend over to linux, as he's got hi-speed and shittons of virii.. they seemed to have overwritten his about:blank file and now all that comes up is either the previous page loaded, or some search page for worldbiz.tv or some shit.. ARG! So yes, try any alternative OS, with the obvious exception of MAC.. (even though the new ones are linux-kernel-based)
If you have any questions, I could also help, as i'm pretty familiar with the now bankrupt(?) MandrakeSoft Corp version of Linux.
You won't be disappointed.

totech wrote:Different engine - so the old engine cannot detect the viruses, even if the sigs are up to date.

That doesn't make any sense. Symantec is not going to just make sigs for the ver 9 engine alone, and say screw you to all the customers that have 8 or 8.1.

Can you elaborate more on what you're saying.

Sure the newer engine may be faster, blah, blah, etc. But I don't see that the 8.0 or 8.1 engine would not be able to protect against new viruses if you have the latest sigs.