Am I the only one?

glennc said:

One would assume that I want my friends and family access to my network.

Then you're going to want to get rid of MAC-filtering. If someone brings a laptop over, you'll have to get the MAC address from their system, log into your router to add it, and then hope the router has a way of labeling each MAC address for future reference. I did this for a year, and it prompted me to just use strong encryption with a strong key. Now, when a friend stops by, I can give them the key code and be done with it. If I feel like it's been given out to much, I can change it on my router once, and be done with it.

Mike Connor said:

glennc said:

Yo Mike,
Glad to hear!!!! I feel pretty secure. Use Norton 2011, Comodo with standalone scans with MSE, AntiMalwareBytes and SuperAntispyware. Once in a while I have the bootable Avira disk and give the comp a once over. Paranoia is the ultimate form of self preservation :). Thanks for the advice and recommendations.
Glenn

Good, stop worrying and just use the machine for a while.

A little "paranoia" may be advantageous, as it tends to make people more careful, but it can easily turn into obsession. Also, being paranoid about something does not mean they are not after you! Of course there are nutjobs, scammers, spammers, hackers, and other assorted lowlifes on the internet, and they ARE out to get you! :) They are out to get everybody!

With a little care it is not too difficult to stay out of their reach, and so I prefer to term this as taking appropriate measures and care, rather than paranoia.

Regards....Mike Connor

Your are of course right, I don't think they are out to get me, there out to get everybody. I don't want it to be me. So I take what I consider the necessary precautions. Yet is is an evolving game. Well, I haven't been got yet.
Take it easy!!
Glenn

DeaconFrost said:

glennc said:

One would assume that I want my friends and family access to my network.

Then you're going to want to get rid of MAC-filtering. If someone brings a laptop over, you'll have to get the MAC address from their system, log into your router to add it, and then hope the router has a way of labeling each MAC address for future reference. I did this for a year, and it prompted me to just use strong encryption with a strong key. Now, when a friend stops by, I can give them the key code and be done with it. If I feel like it's been given out to much, I can change it on my router once, and be done with it.

Yeah, I usually tell them it is too much trouble and I don't have the time!!
Glenn

glennc said:

Glad to hear!!!! I feel pretty secure. Use Norton 2011, Comodo with standalone scans with MSE, AntiMalwareBytes and SuperAntispyware. Once in a while I have the bootable Avira disk and give the comp a once over. Paranoia is the ultimate form of self preservation :). Thanks for the advice and recommendations.
Glenn

Do yourself a favor and remove Norton. The performance hit that you take isn't worth having it installed. Keep your two anti-malware tools and use MSE as your full time anti-virus. Never have two antiviruses installed at the same time.

MacGyvr said:

glennc said:

Glad to hear!!!! I feel pretty secure. Use Norton 2011, Comodo with standalone scans with MSE, AntiMalwareBytes and SuperAntispyware. Once in a while I have the bootable Avira disk and give the comp a once over. Paranoia is the ultimate form of self preservation :). Thanks for the advice and recommendations.
Glenn

Do yourself a favor and remove Norton. The performance hit that you take isn't worth having it installed. Keep your two anti-malware tools and use MSE as your full time anti-virus. Never have two antiviruses installed at the same time.

Hello MacGyvr,
Appreciate your input. I like Norton, it is easier for me to handle than MSE. I've heard the argument before, but am happy with the compromise. I keep MSE only for standalone scan, not running realtime protection. Maybe if I get less lazy and learn MSE I'll understand it's benefits. But I've got quite a while on my subscription to learn. Always accept learned advice. As for the never have to AV's running at the same time, as I said I do not, but have previously for years and never had any problems. Lucky I guess. Take care.
glennc

The reason most people suggest MSE, aside from the quality of it's scans, is that there is nothing to learn. You install it, and that's pretty much it. It keeps itself updated through Windows Update, and there isn't really anything you need to configure.

glennc said:

Hello MacGyvr,
Appreciate your input. I like Norton, it is easier for me to handle than MSE. I've heard the argument before, but am happy with the compromise. I keep MSE only for standalone scan, not running realtime protection. Maybe if I get less lazy and learn MSE I'll understand it's benefits. But I've got quite a while on my subscription to learn. Always accept learned advice. As for the never have to AV's running at the same time, as I said I do not, but have previously for years and never had any problems. Lucky I guess. Take care.
glennc

I got rid of any Norton/Symantec products long ago.
They are for the most part CRAP. Resource hogs, bloat ware.
9 times out of 10 they cause more problems then they solve.
I am amazed how many people still use these products. Symantec/Norton should be out of business.
I think most of it comes from the hysteria over virus/malware/spyware infections we suffer from today.

I myself do not run any AV, malware or spyware programs REAL TIME on any of my PCs.
I do have Malware bytes and several AV programs on a BOOT recovery USB flash drive and I make regular images of my main system and program drive.
I don't go to junk websites or open emails form people/places I don't know (and if by chance I do VIEW a email form someone/place I don't know I NEVER click on the attachment included), they get deleted straight away.
Suit yourself but there are much better product on the market.

DeaconFrost said:

The reason most people suggest MSE, aside from the quality of it's scans, is that there is nothing to learn. You install it, and that's pretty much it. It keeps itself updated through Windows Update, and there isn't really anything you need to configure.

Hello DeaconFrost,
That is part of the problem. I've looked at MSE and there are to me many cryptic options and choices. Too cryptic for my ease of use. I do not like to rely on a program's default settings usually, also. With some understanding and real knowledge, I would probably agree with you. Till that occurs I must rely on what I know works. My combo has kept me completely free. Performance wise I really don't notice a difference since I upgraded my computer about the same time and it is much more powerful than my last that everything flies. I would like to learn MSE but have a lot on my plate. Many people I respect, including you, say the same thing! Must be something to it! Thanks
Glenn

glennc said:

Hello DeaconFrost,
That is part of the problem. I've looked at MSE and there are to me many cryptic options and choices. Too cryptic for my ease of use. I do not like to rely on a program's default settings usually, also. With some understanding and real knowledge, I would probably agree with you. Till that occurs I must rely on what I know works. My combo has kept me completely free. Performance wise I really don't notice a difference since I upgraded my computer about the same time and it is much more powerful than my last that everything flies. I would like to learn MSE but have a lot on my plate. Many people I respect, including you, say the same thing! Must be something to it! Thanks
Glenn

You're kidding, right?
At least MSE allows you to get to the options. The last time I ran a Norton product most of the options were hidden, buried so deep that you have to go through all kinds of windows to get to them.
There attitude was Use the program as WE suggest, Don't make changes in any way to how it works. No thanks.

I have to agree. If MSE's options are too confusing, you certainly won't like any other products on the market, especially not my favorite of the paid options, NOD32.

As for not leaving it as a default, why form this opinion without any facts behind it? If the product is set to the correct options by default, and works very well, why feel like you need to make changes?

It sounds like you need to start replacing some of your paranoia with some fact-based thinking, and you'll reset a lot easier.