[CS-FSLUG] Linksys Router Firewall, Windows Security & Backups

[Timothy Butler]

>
> Now I'm considering some other internet security packages, but what
> I'm really struggling with is whether I'd simply be ok getting
> antivirus and leaving the computers with no firewall at all. All of
> my machines are behind a Linksys router, it's the WRT54GS. Things

	That's what I do.

> would be so much easier if I could simply trust the firewall on that
> device; however, as a long time Windows user I have a compulsive urge
> to keep a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware program on all my
> Windows machines at all times. I even turned on the firewalls on my
> Mac,

	Woah -- I think I missed when you actually purchases the Mac.  
Congrats and welcome to the world of Mac! How do you like it?


>
> I would like your opinions, if I'm behind this router and I keep the
> firmware up to date, do I need to have a firewall on every computer
> as well?

	To be honest, I've never bothered using firewall software very  
religiously. I have one on my Windows XP SP2 box simply because it  
comes with one that is on by default, but the only time I've ever had  
a computer hacked into was when it was put in the DMZ of the router  
(and that was an old Windows ME computer).

>
> Also, what security and backup software do you folks know of for
> Windows? I realize this is OT but we're all geeks here, the majority
> of us have had to work with and around Windows,  and even Google
> doesn't have much to suggest. For security software I was considering
> AVG Internet Security because their Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware
> products have worked well for me in the past. As for backup software

	I use whatever the ISP provides when I setup a Windows computer for  
someone. Virtually every broadband provider gives out anti-virus/anti- 
spyware these days. AT&T uses CA eSafe, which I'm pleased enough  
with. I use Charter at home and they give out an F-Secure based  
package which works pretty well too (although seems a bit slower than  
eSafe, IMO). Back when I was a regular Windows user and such new  
fangled ideas as free anti-virus with an internet package didn't  
exist, I used an old freeware version of CA eSafe, but that's no  
longer available. Before that, I always stuck with McAfee, which kept  
me safe well enough.


> I have two different products in mind: one to make backups of
> documents, files and game progress to a password protected network
> share, and one that would allow me to make a restore-disk for Windows
> itself after installation just like the ones that come with brand
> name computers. I know about open source software that does something
> like this, but I would prefer to go with a polished commercial
> product as the restore disks would need to be usable by non-technical
> users. Has anyone heard anything good or bad about a product called
> Genie Backup Manager Home V. 7.0?

	Never heard of it, could be OK. I personally have used Norton Ghost  
in the past with good results. Acronis makes a nice disk imaging  
program too. Either should be able to make bootable restore disc sets  
(I have done so numerous times with Ghost).

>
> One last thing, I have a Lacie 80GB External USB 2.0 hard drive
> attached to my Mac Mini now. Since I've been giving that particular
> computer so much trust over some of the more important work I do with
> my computers now I was hoping to get some backup software that would
> utilize the external disk. I am aware that Leopard will have "time
> machine" built in, I was just wondering if anyone in this list had a
> chance to try it yet? If Leopard will be as fast as Tiger on my Mini
> then I will most likely upgrade. Does anyone have any thoughts on  
> this?

	I haven't had a chance to try Time Machine yet; I suspect Apple  
won't let me see it until release or shortly before. Right now, I'm  
using .Mac backup, which works pretty well. It only is fully enabled  
if you subscribe to .Mac (which I do), but once fully enabled it can  
do incremental backups to external drives, blank discs, or whatever  
you'd like. I have it backup once a month to an external HD; it also  
backs up my text/Word documents to the .Mac server once a week.

	It's decent enough.

	Regarding if Leopard will be as fast as Tiger, I highly suspect  
you'll be pleased. The only slow down I ever noticed in Mac OS  
upgrades was moving to Tiger with the addition of Spotlight -- that  
made a system with less than 512 megs of ram feel slow. But, overall,  
usually Apple seems to improve optimizations with new releases,  
especially for new hardware. I expect good things to happen for Intel- 
based Mac users in the coming release. Some of the upgrades may be  
specific to Core 2 Duo (64-bit) users, but Core Solo/Duo users should  
benefit as well.

	-Tim

---
Timothy R. Butler | "Because philosophy arises from awe, a philosopher
tbutler at ofb.biz   | is bound in  his  way to  be a lover of myths  and
www.uninet.info   | poetic fables. Poets and philosophers are alike in
timothybutler.us  | being big with wonder."
                                                      -- Thomas Aquinas