Free Internet Tools

The Internet has become a hard place to survive. I get asked all the time about what do I do with an infected file I can't delete, what is SpyWare and AdWare, how do I stop the pop-ups, why is my PC so slow?

I also get asked do I need a Router, do I need a Firewall?

Well the short answer to that question is YES!!!

At a minimum if you are using Broadband or DSL, you MUST have a Firewall. But it can be confusing. A Router generally has a Firewall built-in, and a Firewall is sometimes called a Router. What you are really looking for is that it is a hardware device that provides a service called NAT. Some carriers provide a Modem/Router (Cisco 67x, or equiv.), some just provide a Modem. For all of you that are in the latter group, get a Router! I recommend Linksys, wired or wireless, but there are a number of different manufactures that provide the same product at a cost of apx $50-75.

Here is a list of FREE Internet protection programs that I use and recommend. You can find all of these tools by searching on Google, I have prepared a Zip file with the versions avaliable as of 9/18/2004 that can be downloaded here. There are additional tools in the Zip file that can also be used to do more complete cleaning if necessary. Please remember that all of the tools in this Zip file change system settings and can render your PC unbootable. Use with caution. Also note that the AVG virus scanner is avaliable through the link below.

AVG - virus scanner. No matter if you have Norton, McAfee, or some other commercial scanner, I use and recommend a second Virus scanner program that is used in addition to any commercial software.

SpyBot - Search and Destroy 1.3- This program provides protection against SpyWare and AdWare. Both of these type of attackers are used to provide information about what you type on your keyboard and where you browse to on the Internet. These programs silently send this information to a remote computer. If you notice a high volume of traffic on your Internet modem, this may be the cause. I would also recommend enabling the TeaTimer for Registry protection.

AdAware 6.0 - This program is also to protect against SpyWare and AdWare, just like a Virus Scanner, I recommend two tools.

SpyWare Blaster - This tool helps to protect Internet Explorer from ActiveX software attacks.