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compatibility of firewalls and antivirus programs

Discussion in 'Security and Privacy' started by rebecca, 2004/08/01.

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  1. 2004/08/01
    rebecca Contributing Member

    rebecca Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I'm running WinME, and using a dial-up internet connection (<25 hours a month usage). I have AVG (antivirus) installed, and to the best of my ability to tell, it's working fine.
    I've been hearing more and more about software firewalls lately, and am wondering whether I would benefit from installing one of the free ones on my computer. One of my concerns is whether it will end up conflicting with my AVG - I know you can't have two different antivirus programs running on your computer, and I don't know if a firewall might kind of qualify as an antivirus program as well.
    My other concern is how complicated it is to "configure" (? is that what one does with it?) the firewall? I also have Spyblaster and AdAware on my computer, in case they might cause additional conflicts with a firewall.
    Advice? Suggestions?
    Thanks in advance!
     
    rebecca,
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  2. 2004/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Rebecca,

    You simply must have a firewall these days whether you spend 5 minutes or less/month on the Internet or 50 hours. You are vulnerable to attack without one.

    Simplest is Zone Alarm - select the freeware version without antivirus and use the default settings as installed, although you could turn off email protection if that is catered for by AVG.

    SpywareBlaster, Ad-aware and Spybot are not antivirus programs, neither do they act as a firewall, so there is no conflict.

    As Sparrow suggests in your other thread - read some of the stickies at the head of the forum.
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2004/08/01
    sparrow

    sparrow Inactive

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    A firewall is completly different and necessary. It will not conflict with anything except another firewall.

    I use zonealarm avg spybotS&D adaware spywareguard and spywareblaster without any conflicts or any hit in performance.
     
    sparrow,
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  5. 2004/08/01
    rebecca Contributing Member

    rebecca Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thank you, Sparrow and Pete!
    So I obviously need a firewall - I am in the process of downloading the freeware version from Zone Alarm. I didn't see a choice of with or without antivirus in the download section - is this an option that I un-check during the installation process, or does the freeware version simply come without the antivirus component?

    Sparrow, what does spywareguard do that spybotS&D and spywareblaster don't, or is it jus a case of "you can't be too safe "? Just asking because I have the latter two, and had thought they pretty much covered what was needed.

    Thanks again!
    Rebecca
     
    rebecca,
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  6. 2004/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    This maybe the case - I loaded a copy to a friend's m/c recently and was surprised to see the inclusion of antivirus in the free edition. There is a check box to turn it off in the configuration which follows install.
     
    PeteC,
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  7. 2004/08/02
    sparrow

    sparrow Inactive

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    There's overlap in all these programs, as well as "underlap "(pardon :) ); the area each covers is different. You decide how much trouble you want to avoid, I guess. But with all the identity theft currently, I just feel better this way so long as it doesn't interfere with my computing. Keep up to date on this forum and you'll be well informed.
     
    sparrow,
    #6
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