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

[John Mark Clayton]

For antivirus, I'll like to suggest ClamWin: http://www.clamwin.com
or http://clamwin.sf.net.  It's licensed under GNU GPL.
I've been using it for about 3 months.  It's found a spyware cookie
for what that's worth.
Regards,
Mark

On 11/25/06, Timothy Butler <tbutler at ofb.biz> wrote:
> >
> > 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
>
>
>
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