New Boy asking "can I get rid of McAfee"

Hi, this is my first post on your forum. I joined after reading a post here regarding using XP printer drivers in Win 7 (it worked a treat).
I have inherited McAfee Internet Sec Suite included in a new Win 7 laptop. This expires next month and I intend to delete it and install Zone Alarm, AVG free and MS Defender. Would be grateful for advice on getting rid cleanly, can I just use Control Panel "delete progs" function or do I need some outside software. Many thanks.

hi anjou2, and welcome to sevenforums,

antivirus products are notoriously difficult to remove from an operating system, the normal uninstall procedure often isn't enough.

i advise that you uninstall the usual way, from windows control panel, then download and run the mcaffee removal tool. this should get rid of any rubbish left behind.

further instructions are on the page i've linked to above.

software firewalls still do have their uses though - you can configure settings for each separate program on your pc.

for instance, if you don't want a certain app phoning home each time you start it, you can deny it access - you can't necessarily do that with a NAT.

also

If I have a router with a built-in firewall, should I also turn on Windows Firewall?

Yes, because router-based firewalls only provide protection from computers on the Internet, not from computers on your home network. For example, if a mobile computer or guest computer connects to some other network, becomes infected with a computer worm, and then connects to your home network, your router-based firewall won't be able to prevent the spread of the worm. However, a firewall running on each computer on your network can help control the spread of worms.

source

Here’s a good way to sum up the difference between a hardware and software firewall. Think of a hardware firewall as a club bouncer who checks everyone coming in against a list to make sure they have an invitation. The software firewall, on the other hand, is like a security guard who makes sure nobody snuck in -- and is doing something untoward while inside -- and checks to make sure people aren’t stealing stuff on the way out.

more here

that said, i've not used zone alarm for a long long time, so i don't know how well it compares to the default windows firewall - you may not need zone alarm at all.

Many thanks to all for very helpful inputs. I'm behind a hard wired Netgear DG834G v2 at home but I sometimes use a 3dongle when I'm away for browsing/emails etc. I have to ensure I'm protected then. How much protection would I have with just MSE, it seems I need a firewall too when away from the Netgear ?

the standard windows firewall included in windows 7 should be enough.