AOL Safety and Security Center

[tm872110]

For those who don't know, this program provides you with antivirus, spyware, and a firewall. I have been using it because my subscription to Norton Antivirus had expired. I have just renewed my subscription, and would like to uninstall AOL Safety and Security Center since it seems to slow my computer down. I was wondering if Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal and Windows Firewall were good alternatives for spyware and firewall programs. I was also wondering if you would suggest that I use Windows Firewall, or if I should download a different one like ZoneAlarm?

 

[halo71]

Ad-aware is a great program to use. You may also want to download Spybot as well. So is Zone Alarm as your firewall. I wouldn't use Windoze firewall at all. Dang sure wouldn't use anything AOL has to offer.

 

[caravel]

For those who don't know, this program provides you with antivirus, spyware, and a firewall. I have been using it because my subscription to Norton Antivirus had expired. I have just renewed my subscription, and would like to uninstall AOL Safety and Security Center since it seems to slow my computer down.

Unfortunately in removing the AOL thing and going back to Norton, you've only exchanged one piece of worthless bloatware for another.

I was wondering if Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal and Windows Firewall were good alternatives for spyware and firewall programs. I was also wondering if you would suggest that I use Windows Firewall, or if I should download a different one like ZoneAlarm?

How are you connecting to the net? If you're connected via a NAT router then you may get away without using any kind of personal firewall, depending on what router you have and the kind of firewall it runs (if any).

 

[tm872110]

Unfortunately in removing the AOL thing and going back to Norton, you've only exchanged one piece of worthless bloatware for another.

What Anti-Virus program would you recommend? I suppose it doesn't really matter as long as it picks up the same (or more) viruses and updates as often.

How are you connecting to the net? If you're connected via a NAT router then you may get away without using any kind of personal firewall, depending on what router you have and the kind of firewall it runs (if any).

I connect to the internet using Verizon Online DSL. I might be wrong, but I believe the NAT router is the device I have hooked up to the computer to enable the DSL connection. Is there anyway to check if it runs a firewall, and what kind it runs if it does?

 

[Tedster]

AOL is neither SAFE nor SECURE. There have been many lawsuits against AOL for their selling of personal information as well as their refusal to cancell accounts. Get rid of AOL as soon as you can and watch your statement. They will continue to try and bill you. You have to ask for a refund up front when cancelling.

 

[kitty500cat]

Here's what I recommend. I think this is a copied list of Howard's, but I recommend them as well:

AVG free or Avast antivirus programs.
ZoneAlarm or Kerio free firewall programs.
Spybot - Search & Destroy
Ad-aware SE Personal
AVG Antispyware
SpywareBlaster
CCleaner

 

[tm872110]

Is AVG or Avast any better to have than Norton (speed wise, finding the same or more viruses that you may have)? Also, how do I know if I'm connected by an NAT Router? Am I connected behind one if I connect with DSL? My router is a Westell 6100.

 

[JRaml]

My personal programs...

I've tried quite a few, and AVG is the best all around antivirus I've found. ZoneAlarm is an excellent Firewall; AdAware and Spybot are great for spyware.

 

[kitty500cat]

I think ZoneAlarm is good. I'm currently running Kerio, but I think I'm gonna try ZoneAlarm sometime. I don't think there's much difference between AVG or Avast, but they're both better than Norton (consume less resources and catch viruses better). Your Westell 6100, from what I could find, supports NAT; so that should be an added layer of security.

I do recommend removing Norton; if you have any problems uninstalling it, check out this thread. I'd at least disable the firewall (if your version of Norton has one) and installing ZoneAlarm or Kerio. Whatever else you're running, it is always good to run Spybot and Ad-Aware.

Regards

 

[TangoTrolly]

A router with NAT (Network Address Translation) provides a layer of Firewall protection, but is not a complete firewall. You should still have a software Firewall. Here is how NAT works; a computer on an external network cannot connect to your computer unless your computer has initiated the contact. You can browse the Internet and connect to a site, and even download a file; but somebody else cannot latch onto your IP address and use it to connect to a port on your computer. Your computer IP address is invisible to the Internet. Most new routers or integrated router/modems have NAT. Check the specs. If you only have a DSL modem or Cable Modem between your computer and the Internet, you do not have NAT.
I used to use free ZoneAlarm, which is a very good two way software Firewall, but they became a pain with their frequent updates, asking you to choose their free version each time. Some time ago I switched to COMODO (easy to find with Google), which I found is an excellent free firewall. I also run AVG and Avast on separate computers. Like some said before, they use less resource then some major brand AntiVirus programs and are pretty good. You can find comparative analysis by some major PC Publications. Ad-Aware and SpyBot are good for Malware, but also Microsoft Windows Defender.
Good luck, Tony

 

[caravel]

Also, how do I know if I'm connected by an NAT Router? Am I connected behind one if I connect with DSL? My router is a Westell 6100.

That is a basic 1 port NAT router/bridged modem as far as I can tell. If you've connected it through the USB port it will be running as a bridged modem, based on the connection software running on your PC (I think). When set up as a router it performs NAT, which is better than direct connection via a modem and no firewall, but is not a firewall. So yes you'll still need Zonealarm or Kerio for proper security.

 

[tm872110]

I removed AOL Safety and Security Center, and Norton Anti-virus, installed AVG, and am currently downloading ZoneAlarm. Is one anti-virus enough, or should I have another one installed that doesn't run at startup? Also, should I have Windows Updates on?

 

[kitty500cat]

It is not recommended to run more than one antivirus or more than one software firewall. You should be fine running just AVG and ZoneAlarm for AV and firewall, but you should also run Spybot and Ad-aware (for spyware and adware protection).