Personal Firewall vs. AntiVirus only
 

I have NU SystemWorks & Internet Security. The Personal Firewall seems to be
slowing everything down (& we have a dial-up connection), & I don't like
listing every website that's acceptable.

As a individual/residential PC user, do I really need the Personal Firewall,
or is the antivirus protection enough for a single family's purposes?

TIA for your advice/opinions!

Re: Personal Firewall vs. AntiVirus only
 

I would not get on the Internet with using at least a personal firewall and
if my hard drive is shared and file and print sharing is enabled I would add
a router as well. The decrease in speed is not worth potentially getting a
bad virus, worm, or Trojan horse! hat could wipe out your hard drive in a
worst case scenario.

"Learner" <shadfoREMOVECAPS@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:0R6Ma.19878$C83.1886019@newsread1.prod.itd.ea rthlink.net...
> I have NU SystemWorks & Internet Security. The Personal Firewall seems to
be
> slowing everything down (& we have a dial-up connection), & I don't like
> listing every website that's acceptable.
>
> As a individual/residential PC user, do I really need the Personal
Firewall,
> or is the antivirus protection enough for a single family's purposes?
>
> TIA for your advice/opinions!
>
>

Re: Personal Firewall vs. AntiVirus only
 

Learner wrote:

> I have NU SystemWorks & Internet Security. The Personal Firewall
> seems to be slowing everything down (& we have a dial-up connection),
> & I don't like listing every website that's acceptable.
>
> As a individual/residential PC user, do I really need the Personal
> Firewall, or is the antivirus protection enough for a single family's
> purposes?
>
> TIA for your advice/opinions!

Especially on a dial-up; it sounds like you could use something
simpler. The more important function of a firewall, for you, is probably
controlling programs that want to 'call out'; whether it's something
trying to up-date itself automatically, or unknown spyware (that an
anti-virus might not pick up on) that wants to phone home and chat about
your shopping habits.
One of the easiest to set-up and leave alone is probably ZoneAlarm
(free).
I'd also run at least *one* anti-spyware program (see Jimchip's
list - several good, free programs).
--
"Just my opinion."

Re: Personal Firewall vs. AntiVirus only
 

On the crackling parchment of
news:0R6Ma.19878$C83.1886019@newsread1.prod.itd.ea rthlink.net,
Learner <shadfoREMOVECAPS@earthlink.net> penned the following prose:
> I have NU SystemWorks & Internet Security. The Personal Firewall
> seems to be slowing everything down (& we have a dial-up connection),
> & I don't like listing every website that's acceptable.
>
> As a individual/residential PC user, do I really need the Personal
> Firewall, or is the antivirus protection enough for a single family's
> purposes?
>
> TIA for your advice/opinions!

One of each (see Jimchip's excellent list) and realize that antivirus and
firewalls are apples and oranges...they are not for the same thing. Antivirus
software guards against viruses, firewalls guard against unwanted intrusion (and
often from programs on your system getting out without you wanting them to).

HTH.
--
Robert Schumacher
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/schumachersforum
http://www.plastic.com