Anti-Virus Software
 

I have only just realized my Anti virus software should have been renewed a fortnight ago, not sure why but I haven't received a reminder. I am now totaly unprotected.
Has anyone any recommendations on a good one before I renew my license.

First of all, you are not totally unprotected. The computer in question does not have any protection against new virii.

Cannot help on which virus catcher to go for but do not live in fear. I never had one and never caught anything (that I know of)

LOL! Panic over, I have always had protection so I suddenly felt vulnerable.


I still haven't set up my wireless router properly, its set in its default modes no passwords, I just don't know where to start. I have been relying on my virus checker to block any untrusions. I must get it sorted when I can find the booklet.

Chrisitine, please make sure you setup your router with security, it's essential. Remember Stephen having someone freeloading his internet? This, or worse, could happen. Make sure your firewall in the router is switched on and enable WPA2 wireless encryption. Put a password on your router settings.

I rarely use the wireless feature on my router but found when I did switch it on and tried logging on via a laptop, I could log on to one of my neighbours network a lot easier than I could log on to my own! His router was "straight out of the box" settings. I could have encrypted his network and password protected his settings so that only I could use it, but not him.

As for anti-virus, I suggest Kaspersky, available at a very reasonable price here:
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Softw...roductId=28025
or NOD 32
http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Softw...roductId=30947
though NOD32 is anti-malware only, it does not include a software firewall. If you get your router setup correctly the need for a software firewall is reduced. NOD32 has the lowest impact of any anti-virus/malware on overall performance. If you've been using Norton (uugh) you'll think you've got a whole new machine if you swap to NOD32, or Kaspersky for that matter.

Duncan, I haven't the faintest idea how to set up my d-link router I can't find the manual. I know I am supposed to do it online through an IP address thats all. I will have to keep searching for it.

I use AVG, it used to be free a couple of years ago when I first got it.
I was so impressed with it that I bought a 2 year license.

Thanks Lello I have downloaded avg but I haven't run it yet, Kaspersky looks good.

Which model of d-link is it?

Its the DSL-G624T. I tried looking online but couldn't find any reference to the address.
I don't use it as wireless device which is what I bought it for. Mario was worried in case his computer downloaded something it shouldn't, I just use it as a modem now.

If you did have Norton you might have fun removing it as it leaves bits of itself behind. Best to use the Norton removal tool although on one of my machines this did not work either and I had to troll through the registry manually before it was all gone. Scary stuff for a computer ignoramus like me.

Mike its Trend pc-cillian 2007 I was using. In fact Iv'e noticed my machine has really speeded up since I removed it.

I know the router is working because I can get on the net with my Nintendo DS it found an open link.

Quick start guide:
ftp://ftp.dlink.co.uk/dsl_routers_mo...ig_english.pdf

Full manual, including instruction on how to set up the wireless:
ftp://ftp.dlink.co.uk/dsl_routers_mo...24t_manual.pdf
This will give you the information you need. Log into the router to begin with from a WIRED connection.

Setup the wireless using WPA with a Pre-Shared Key using a 63 random character key. This page:
https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm
will generate a suitable high security key for you, just make sure you copy and paste the string to a notepad file and save it somewhere!

Make sure the firewall and NAT are enabled.

Duncan.

Thank Duncan, I couldn't find those pages.

Do set up the security for your router as advised or all sorts of nasty things can be done to you. As well as the encryption change the default passwords as well or someone can go back in and change any setting themselves.

Will I have to remember the 64 characters if I need to change things,

According to the manual, you have a max length of 63 alphanumeric characters. I used copy and paste with the string saved on a USB stick, as you'll need to enter this string on any machine which requires access to your wireless network - i.e. you have to be able to move the key between machines, not using the network.

As far as I can see its only WEP which allows me to input 64 characters, WPA has some other setting I am not sure what they do.
If I did put a key in I would have to save it to my hard disk I don't have a usb stick. I think thats why I didn't bother last time it looked so technical.
I don't want to lock myself off the net if I lose the key or my hard disk goes down.

WEP is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard, just ask Stephen it took his neighbours just a few minutes to hack his WEP security. You must use WPA. See page 37 of the manual. Enter your random 63 character alphanumeric string in the box labelled "PSK String" after selecting the appropriate radio button.

Save the string to your hard disk if you must, but you're going to have to enter that long string, without errors, on any machine you want to access the wireless network. If you're not using wireless, then disable wireless access and don't bother entering a string.

Oh, and get yourself a USB drive, they are dirt cheap and extremely useful.

Duncan, I have just managed to get back on, evrything hung when I put in the string and pressed apply. I couldn't get back on the net unless I reset everything. I am running it without the string again and it working fine, I think I will leave things as they are and not connect Mario's computer so I don't need the wireless connection.

What I don't understand how come my Nintendo connects.

Christine, you may have been a bit to quick for it. It does take quite a while for the router to save the changed settings after clicking on "apply" as it has to write the changes to flash memory inside. If you leave it long enough, it will come back. If it hasn't restarded after about a minute, typing in the I.P. address (192.168.whatever.whatever) will take you back to the router start page. You should have been able to connect to the net via the wired connection - you are doing all this setup from a wired connection PC, aren't you?

If you don't set it up with a security string, you must disable the wireless function of your router otherwise anyone can log onto your network and use your connection, browse your PC etc.

Does the Nintendo connect wirelessly both with and without a security string set?

Duncan

Duncan, I did leave it for about 10 minutes after pressing apply the whole server locked up. I had to shut down and restart the computer to clear it, Ctrl alt del did nothing.
I have the phone line pluged into the D-link and the network cable plugged in to port one on the unit. I still haven't set up the wireless connection, when I upgraded my machine I never got around to doing it.
Its puzzling how my Nintendo is finding a connection through wireless WFC.