Router or Hub?

[Karl]

I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD and wants me to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the computer to keep back Spam and Viruses.

I need to know what would be best for her in this case. Only 1 computer, nothing wireless.
She uses a realtively fast AMD 2200 and Windows XP.

 

[Bob Haar]

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the computer to
keep back Spam and Viruses.

A hub would do nothing. A router with Network Address translation would help
hide the computer from direct attacks, but a real firewall would be better.
Neither one does anything for SPAM or viruses. The best defense is good
anti-virus software combined with safe computing habits.

 

[kawipoo]

Use a router a hub does not offer firewall protection. It will not protect against spam because spam enters via email.
I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD and wants me to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the computer to keep back Spam and Viruses.

I need to know what would be best for her in this case. Only 1 computer, nothing wireless.
She uses a realtively fast AMD 2200 and Windows XP.

 

[Karl]

A hub would do nothing. A router with Network Address translation would help
hide the computer from direct attacks, but a real firewall would be better.
Neither one does anything for SPAM or viruses. The best defense is good
anti-virus software combined with safe computing habits.

 

[Karl]

Thanks for the info.

She does have the windows XP Firewall enabled.

She also uses NOD32 which I use after I got tired of McAfee and Norton.
(Like NOD32 much, much better)

I do not get viruses or Spam, she does.

But I use Comacst she uses Myactv.net
Also a cable ISP though.

 

[Never anonymous Bud]

I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD and wants me to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the computer to keep back Spam and Viruses.

She needs a router, but that alone WILL NOT stop spam or viruses.

A router WILL stop most trojans from dialing out,
and will stop most intruders from getting in.

But she will still need a firewall, an anti-virus program (or better, several),
and one or more anti-spyware/trojan programs, if she wants to be really secure.






To reply by email, remove the XYZ.

Lumber Cartel (tinlc) #2063. Spam this account at your own risk.

This sig censored by the Office of Home and Land Insecurity....

 

[James Knott]

I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD and wants me
to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the computer
to keep back Spam and Viruses.

I need to know what would be best for her in this case. Only 1 computer,
nothing wireless. She uses a realtively fast AMD 2200 and Windows XP.

She'll need one of those firewall/router boxes, to keep out intruders.
However, those devices won't do anything for viruses & spam, which uually
come in via e-mail.

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

To reply to this message, replace everything to the left of "@" with
james.knott.

 

[Jim Macklin]

A hub doesn't do anything except make a path that is always
connected to everything. She needs a router. A software
firewall also won't hurt.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with
Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD
and wants me to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem
and the computer to keep back Spam and Viruses.

I need to know what would be best for her in this case. Only
1 computer, nothing wireless.
She uses a realtively fast AMD 2200 and Windows XP.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Thanks for the info.

She does have the windows XP Firewall enabled.

She also uses NOD32 which I use after I got tired of McAfee and
Norton. (Like NOD32 much, much better)

I do not get viruses or Spam, she does.

But I use Comacst she uses Myactv.net
Also a cable ISP though.

Give her this advice as well..

Please Notice that if you use AOL, you should at least upgrade to 9.0 or
greater before doing any of the fixes. I know you can get AOL 9.0 at almost
any convenience store, gas station, super market or other retail outlet in
the world, so this should not be a problem.


Turn on that firewall...
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp
(It has been reported that it now works with AOL 9.0+)


Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Scan for updates, Review and Install)


Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware..
(Yes - using MORE than one of these..
I recommend at least the first three. Also..
UPDATE the definitions for them before using.)

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.net/

Lavasoft AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de

CWSShredder
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Hijack This!
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/

I also like "The Cleaner" and "SpywareBlaster" and "SpywareGuard".
- http://www.moosoft.com/
- http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/

The first is a PAY product, but useable for 30 days - it has found and
eliminated problems in the past the others did not. The latter two are
prevention mechanisms. I like SpywareGuard for those with enough processor
to have something running like antivirus software - and it prevents browser
hijacking quite well. SpywareBlaster is a FANTASTIC free product, I suggest
getting this after you cleanup and keeping it updated as well....

And Assortment of Others:
http://spywareinfo.com/


After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antivirus
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have no
antivirus software - get one NOW! Grisoft AntiVirus:
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php


Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80 to 120MB (seems to be an optimal size for the normal user)

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section,
do the following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the
"Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 80MB
and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to
"Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and click
OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes or
more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer
- Re-open Internet Explorer.


Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have something
installed but never use it, uninstall it.) If you go through Control
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is to
your advantage to remove it.


Also, if you are tired of Web Page Pop-Ups/Unders.. You could try the
Google Toolbar.
http://toolbar.google.com/


Stop loading applications at logon.. run MSCONFIG and look under the startup
tab for things you DON'T want to startup! Search the Internet with Google
to discover what things are safe to remove and what things may even be
malware infecting your computer.


Better control your email and lessen the amount of time you spend dealing
with SPAM:
SpamBayes
http://sourceforge.net/projects/spambayes/
or
Spamihilator.
http://www.spamihilator.com

 

[Karl]

NO, NO and again NO. To AOL. She never uses that and I recommend it for NO
ONE.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

NO, NO and again NO. To AOL. She never uses that and I recommend it
for NO ONE.

Easy Karl,

The reason that is in my spill is because there ARE people who use it and if
they do not use 9.0 or above, the firewall advice fails.

 

[NobodyMan]

Thanks for the info.

She does have the windows XP Firewall enabled.

That's better than nothing, but not by much. The XP firewall only
stops operates on inbound traffic but does nothing to filter any
outbound traffic. If a virus or trojan gets onto the machine (usually
very easily if you don't practice safe computing) the XP firewall will
happily let it broadcast out to the world without telling you.

A third part firewall is best. I use ZoneAlarm Pro, but there are
many options out there.

 

[Matt]

I use presently a Netgear Router and it works fine with Comcast.cable

My daughter has a different cable provider in Hagerstown, MD and wants
me to get eithert a router or hub.

She wants only something between her Motorola Cable modem and the
computer to keep back Spam and Viruses.

I need to know what would be best for her in this case. Only 1 computer,
nothing wireless.
She uses a realtively fast AMD 2200 and Windows XP.

If her application-software demands are not great (mostly common stuff
like emailing, web surfing, word processing etc), you could end her
virus problems by switching her to Linux.

 

[Karl]

I agree on that. I just do not like AOL with all their very own,
non-standard protocols. Millions of people have left AOL in the last 2 years
too.

 

[Karl]

I have used ZONE ALARM a number of times in the past, but it created too
many problems with some programs. So I do not like it at all anymore.

BUT NOD32 does check all outgoing and incoming mail.
Very happy with it. Better than Norton (which I have but un-installed and
better than McAfee too, which I also had at one time.

 

[Karl]

Too hard a learning curve for her.

If her application-software demands are not great (mostly common stuff
like emailing, web surfing, word processing etc), you could end her
virus problems by switching her to Linux.

 

[NobodyMan]

I have used ZONE ALARM a number of times in the past, but it created too
many problems with some programs. So I do not like it at all anymore.

BUT NOD32 does check all outgoing and incoming mail.
Very happy with it. Better than Norton (which I have but un-installed and
better than McAfee too, which I also had at one time.

Just checking incoming/outgoing mail isn't good enough any more.
There are too many possible ways of attacking a system to not use a
decent inbound/outbound firewall to protect a system. The problem
with the built in ICF it isn't really configurable. A third party
program is best.

ZA isn't the only answer. If you don't like it, investigate the
others. One of them is sure to provide a better protective barrier.

 

[Karl]

ZA was the reason that I had enormous trouble signing up with AT&T. It just
would not work, even though I had un-installed ZA. Only after going through
the Registry and deleting numerous entries of ZA there, did AT & T work
while I was on vacation.
But I had other problems with ZA and other applications. That is why I will
never get ZA again.

 

[Jim Macklin]

Funny, I've never had a problem with ZA. I just use the
free version because I'm broke. I used ZA before, when I
had cable and I still use it on dial-up.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| ZA was the reason that I had enormous trouble signing up
with AT&T. It just
| would not work, even though I had un-installed ZA. Only
after going through
| the Registry and deleting numerous entries of ZA there,
did AT & T work
| while I was on vacation.
| But I had other problems with ZA and other applications.
That is why I will
| never get ZA again.
| | > On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 12:55:51 -0400, "Karl"
<[email protected]>
| > wrote:
| >
| > >I have used ZONE ALARM a number of times in the past,
but it created too
| > >many problems with some programs. So I do not like it
at all anymore.
| > >
| > >BUT NOD32 does check all outgoing and incoming mail.
| > >Very happy with it. Better than Norton (which I have
but un-installed and
| > >better than McAfee too, which I also had at one time.
| > >
| > Just checking incoming/outgoing mail isn't good enough
any more.
| > There are too many possible ways of attacking a system
to not use a
| > decent inbound/outbound firewall to protect a system.
The problem
| > with the built in ICF it isn't really configurable. A
third party
| > program is best.
| >
| > ZA isn't the only answer. If you don't like it,
investigate the
| > others. One of them is sure to provide a better
protective barrier.
| >
|
|

 

[JH]

TRY fedora... this Linux comes up like windows and there is virtually 0
learning curve! Comes with open office too!
www.fedora.redhat.com and burn the 3 ISOs to CD

Installs easy as Windows too, and NO long numbers to type in nor any
activation hassles!