What would be the best Antivirus and Firewall Package

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 01:04

Hi there,

I need you to recommend me an antivirus and firewall package for my purposes.

I need the antivirus to do what it does on the tin and do it well, and I need to have control over whats going in and out of my pc (internet wise) for the firewall. I would like low system resources.

I have been using McAfee up to this point but the updates has run out so I am thinking of changing.

What do you suggest?

Thanks....

[Edit]

Never installed the antispyware or piracy things as they aren't really nessarcery are they?

SiriusB · 21 May 2006 at 02:04

First, avoid Norton at all costs. It will consume your PC like a cancer.

Now, for antivirus, the best are probably NOD32 and Kaspersky. Both are very good at what they do. I use NOD32 and I hardly notice it is there. In fact, the only time I know it is still running is when I see a balloon tip telling me it has updated. Im sure the same can be said for Kaspersky, but I'll leave that for people who have/do use it.

As for firewall I am not so sure. I use my routers firewall and that is more than good enough. Names I seen thrown about a bit are Symantec and Zone Alarm. But again I will leave this for people who do use software firewalls.

Whatever you end up choosing, the best weapon you have is a little thing called Common Sense

SiriusB

kbc · 21 May 2006 at 02:45

Anti-Virus software wise - get NOD32. It updates almost everyday (at least very often)... and is not a system hog, it has a friendly pop-ups when some installer or spyware is trying to infiltrate your system when visiting websites - gives you the option to terminate them.

I'm currently using Zone Alarm and it can be quite slow to boot up, which is a little frustrating but it does its job in terms of blocking unwanted traffic.

L4yer Cak3 · 21 May 2006 at 05:10

1) Agnitum Outpost Firewall

2) Kaspersky Anti Virus

basmic · 21 May 2006 at 08:53

Sygate and NOD32 would make the absolute best, IMO.

But Sygate have been taken over by Symantec. :mad:

meths · 21 May 2006 at 10:42

I would use NOD32 over Kaspersky because I found Kaspersky slows down the system more.

NOD32 is just less hassle and quick to load at startup.

Firegod · 21 May 2006 at 11:07

basmic said:
Sygate and NOD32 would make the absolute best, IMO.

But Sygate have been taken over by Symantec.

Another vote for NOD32 + Sygate Personal Firewall (you can still download the free early version, works well). Then use a Router too.

G|mp · 21 May 2006 at 11:08

Kaspersky and Kerio firewall here

Both run perfectly, never had any problems with either of them

mc_bob · 21 May 2006 at 11:11

NOD32 + Windows Firewall.
Never had a problem.

MC_Bob

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 11:12

kbc said:
I'm currently using Zone Alarm and it can be quite slow to boot up, which is a little frustrating but it does its job in terms of blocking unwanted traffic.

Thats what I found with McAfee tbh, it takes ages to boot up.

NOD32 seems very expensive to buy for just one year? - but i suppose for the best you pay

I can get the whole McAfee internet package (2006) for around £13 yet NOD32 just antivirus is £23! - Thats putting me off tbh.

=====

I am currently using AVG Free and Windows Firewall untill I get a new package. But I want to be able to control everything in terms of firewall and its my understanding that with Windows Firewall you can't do that?

G|mp · 21 May 2006 at 11:13

Conrad is this not you recommending someone else AV and a firewall?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7051028&postcount=4

Bit strange you then starting a thread asking for the same thing :confused:

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 11:14

G|mp said:
Conrad is this not you recommending someone else AV and a firewall?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7051028&postcount=4

Bit strange you then starting a thread asking for the same thing

I am looking for some proper payed for software which would be better, not freeware...sorry for the confusion

G|mp · 21 May 2006 at 11:15

Ahh sorry, just confused me for a second

Richdog · 21 May 2006 at 11:23

Conrad11 said:
Thats what I found with McAfee tbh, it takes ages to boot up.

NOD32 seems very expensive to buy for just one year? - but i suppose for the best you pay

I can get the whole McAfee internet package (2006) for around £13 yet NOD32 just antivirus is £23! - Thats putting me off tbh.

Like almost all things in life, you pay for what you get. Mcaffee may be cheaper (though I have to question how legal a £13 copy of their full internet security package is), but a complete resource hog and the virus detection rate is nowhere near NOD32's. Not paying a mere an extra tenner a year for superior protection is tighter than a gnats muff.

Combine it with a free firewall like Sygate or Zone Alarm and you're sorted.

Oh, and be sure to download, install and update SpywareBlaster too http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022-10196637.html?part=dl-SpywareBl&subj=dl&tag=button as it will stop 90% of spyware and consumes absolutely no resources.

hp7909 · 21 May 2006 at 11:34

Conrad11 said:
{snip}Never installed the antispyware or piracy things as they aren't really nessarcery are they?

I'd say very necessary. Thing is, you don't need one that runs in the background all the time. Ad-Aware SE, I've found is good/the best

Windows Defender (formerly Microsoft AntiSpyware) is also good but, runs in the background. Whatever you get, just make sure you run a regular scan especially if you don't have any form of hardware firewall (Router, etc) & or use IE :mad:

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 11:38

You can switch windows defender off, and I always thought it was the best.

I have decided to go with NOD32 antivirus and I am just buying it now.

All I need now is a firewall.

By the way, the £13 McAfee was an OEM one.

Richdog said:
Combine it with a free firewall like Sygate or Zone Alarm and you're sorted.

I have heard that they are quite resource hogging?

==========
[edit]

Damn there is a lot of settings in NOD32. Has anyone got a settings file which has the settings they run which I can just put on my one for the settings?

Richdog · 21 May 2006 at 11:52

Conrad11 said:
I have heard that they are quite resource hogging?

Nope, they're not.

Damn there is a lot of settings in NOD32. Has anyone got a settings file which has the settings they run which I can just put on my one for the settings?

lol it doesn't really need changing, just leave it at default and disable ThreatSense.

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 11:54

OK then, Zone Alarm is a maybe, but this is the only thing putting me off:

kbc said:
I'm currently using Zone Alarm and it can be quite slow to boot up, which is a little frustrating but it does its job in terms of blocking unwanted traffic.

I hated it when it took ages for McAfee to load.

Richdog · 21 May 2006 at 11:58

I'm using it now, I have no idea what the other poster is tlaking about when he says its "slow to boot"... my computer takes no longer than it ever did. use your initiative and see for yourself rather than taking others words for it. If you don't like it you can just uninstall it.

Conrad11 · 21 May 2006 at 12:15

Hi there,

Good point, its free

....downloading now.

You say this:

Richdog said:
Oh, and be sure to download, install and update SpywareBlaster too http://www.download.com/SpywareBlaster/3000-8022-10196637.html?part=dl-SpywareBl&subj=dl&tag=button as it will stop 90% of spyware and consumes absolutely no resources.

Does it not actually run in the background, or do you mean that it uses very little resources?

Also do you think that its nessarcery to run Windows Defender or things like Adware SE in the background, if you have programs like NOD32 and ZoneAlarm running?

Thanks...