Advice please

[ForeverArsenal]

Hi.
Wonder if someone could offer advice please.

SORRY for long post.

I'm useing XP myself and know my way around it fairly well but
have not used/seen Vista at all.

Have a friend who recently got a laptop with Vista installed (don't know
version yet)
he's know nothing about computer at all.

He got someone local who comes out to your home and set the computer up for
you
and also charged a lot of money for doing so.

When my friend purchased the comp (PC World) they also sold him a compatable
Nortons internet security package ie antivirus/firewall /spyware etc,but the
guy who set him up did not bother installing it for him but instead
downloaded
the free version of AVG antivirus,I know it's fairly good but as far as I
know no
firewall is installed apart from Vista one ,XP's built in firewall is naff I
think and not good
enough for the net today.

So Question 1 ,is vista firewall a lot,lot more secure than the XP firewall
OR would he be
better off with the Nortons installed,I know what I think but would like
your opinions please.

Question 2 ,he was setup with a wireless internet connection which he's a
bit concerned
about the security side of things and his son has got him a wired Netgear
DG384g router
and has asked me if I would install Nortons and set up the Netgear WIRED
connection
for him.

I myself have only ever had a wired router setup (Netgear DG384 v 3) and
know how to setup
in XP but not Vista,would it be simalar ie control panel,network
connections,THEN
DISABLE the wireless network connection/then ENABLE LAN,then connect and
configure
his wired router for him.
Hope you can help.
Baz.




The human rights act.
Invented for Blair's Bitch.

 

[matt hopkins]

Im pretty sure that the windows firewall is the same one as the xp one not
100% though it seems to do all the same things AVG probably have a free one
to download aswell they have most stuff free.

there isnt a network connections box on vista you have to go to network and
sharing center still in control panel though a router usually comes with a
setup cd anyway though

 

[JCS]

Firstly, I would forget Norton's altogether and install Zone Alarm's free
firewall. Secondly, with a laptop, I would stick with the wireless router.
Security issues aside, the laptop's mobility would be lost if tied down to a
wired connection. Set up WPA as opposed to WEP for the wireless encryption.
WPA2 if available woul be even better.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

Do NOT install anything Norton on your friends laptop. You will not be doing
him anything close to a service.

AVG is a good product and way less invasive than Norton AV.

The Vista firewall is ok too and will stop unwanted stuff getting in. It
will not pop up unintelligible messages asking for decisions that your
friend will know nothing about.

Re the wireless connection, as long as it has been set up as a secured
network, it will stop the casual local user from piggybacking the service.
Your friend may well appreciate the mobility allowed by a wireless
connection too.

Wireless transmissions can be intercepted, but one has to know how to do it,
and while there are people who drive the streets looking for unsecured
wireless networks, they are by no means in every street.

Bear in mind that the majority of unwanted intrusions by virus or Trojan do
not break through the defenses. They are cleverly disguised and invited in
by unwitting users.

Leave the anti-virus protection as it is, and just check that the wireless
connection is secured, and leave it at that. Any other service provided by
you should revolve around advising your friend of the pitfalls of being
connected to the internet generally, especially bogus e-mail.

 

[ForeverArsenal]

Hi again.
Many thanks Mike,Matt and JCS for your replies and suggestions,
much appreciated.
...............
"Mike Hall -

Do NOT install anything Norton on your friends laptop. You will not be
doing him anything close to a service.

....................
Hmmm,without wishing to get involved in a argument I do wonder why there
seems to be many who do not like Nortons products.

Since 1998 and Windows 95 osr2b tho win98/2000/and XP I've had many
of there products.ie systems works/ghost 9/internet security/and at present
Norton forewall +antivirus.
Never had problems with any of them,but of course not free
and after some reading on this Vista group RAM or lack of seems
to be a major factor in slowing down Vista/comp and programs like
Nortons,Knowing my friend his comp won't be top notch as he likes
his money to much ,ram issue maybe the reason why the person who
set him up did not install Nortons.
......................

AVG is a good product

I agree,AVG is good for a free program BUT no as good as the version that
they charge for,so surely could be better.
......................

The Vista firewall is ok too and will stop unwanted stuff getting in.

..........................
Afraid if it's same as XP I myself would not trust it.
............................

Re the wireless connection, as long as it has been set up as a secured
network, it will stop the casual local user from piggybacking the service.

..........................
This I don't know yet.
...........................

Your friend may well appreciate the mobility allowed by a wireless
connection too.

........................
Did explain to him that in my opinion that mobility was the only +'s
I could see over wired.
.........................
Bear in mind that the majority of unwanted intrusions by virus or Trojan do
not break through the defenses. They are cleverly disguised and invited in
by unwitting users.

Agreed.

Will have to go and see him,30 mile run.

Many thanks to you all.
Baz

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

When my friend purchased the comp (PC World) they also sold him a compatable
Nortons internet security package ie antivirus/firewall /spyware etc,but the
guy who set him up did not bother installing it for him

Lucky thing for him.

but instead
downloaded
the free version of AVG antivirus,I know it's fairly good

It's better than "fairly good." It's *much* better than Norton.

but as far as I
know no
firewall is installed apart from Vista one ,XP's built in firewall is naff I
think and not good
enough for the net today.

I'm not sure I know what "naff" means, but both the XP firewall and
the Vista firewall are fine.

So Question 1 ,is vista firewall a lot,lot more secure than the XP firewall
OR would he be
better off with the Nortons installed,I know what I think but would like
your opinions please.

My view is that nobody is better off with *anything* Norton installed.
Norton/Symantec is the *worst* security software available.