Am I doing any damage? (modem, installing, how to, Windows)

[virgo]

I switched to Comcast cable last Thursday, realizing that I would have a static IP address and be signed on to the Internet all of the time. When I don't need to use the Internet, I hit the "standby button" on the cable box to take my connection offline (I haven't activated all of the various programs in the McAfee suite software yet). Am I doing any damage by blocking the cable connection and not allowing it to be set "on" all of the time?

Many thanks!

I dread activating the firewall because crap happens when a person gets to adding software, and I don't want to be down, but I know I have to get these protection programs in place.

[CuCullin]

Nope! None at all. Any updates can happen while you are connected, so its no big deal. At the same time, its not really necessary. Just keep yourself regularly updated, don't install programs you are unfamiliar with without checking it out thoroughly, and you'll be reasonably secure.

[Radek]

Originally Posted by CuCullin

Nope! None at all. Any updates can happen while you are connected, so its no big deal. At the same time, its not really necessary. Just keep yourself regularly updated, don't install programs you are unfamiliar with without checking it out thoroughly, and you'll be reasonably secure.

^speaks truth.


Only thing is, unless you requested it. Your IP isn't 'static'. Your IP is still assigned the same way as with dial-up. However, because you rarely if never turn your connection off, you retain your IP until you 'release' it.


So, protect yourself with anti-virus and firewall software.


I recommend:

avast! antivirus software - computer virus, worm and Trojan protection by ALWIL Software <-- Antivirus
ZoneAlarm by Check Point - Award winning PC Protection, Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-Spyware, Identity Protection, and much more. <-- Firewall
Ad-Aware @ Lavasoft - The Original Anti-Spyware Company - Lavasoft <-- Anti-spyware

ALL have free versions. ALL free versions work beautifully for your protection.

[Bo]

The real harm of this arrangement is the false sense of protection it's providing you. You're very much at risk of infection any time you put a Windows computer directly on a broadband modem without firewall protection, regardless of whether you actively browse the Internet. Security analysts have done studies and found that computers with no protection are infected on average within 5 minutes of being connected to the Internet via broadband! Your broadband provider may have free antivirus and antispyware software that you can download from them. Mine does. (AT&T Yahoo)

[virgo]

Thanks to one and all!!!!!!! I don't seem to be doing any damage by going offline.

Yes, you all are very correct about being vulnerable with broadband. It's the very reason why I wouldn't get high-speed Internet.

I need to decide which security programs to implement. I used to have Sygate for my firewall and loved it, but they were bought out by Symantec, I believe, so I stopped using them. I have McAfee virus protection on my computer system (I have 2 months left on my subscription). Comcast uses McAfee for their virus protection, spyware, and firewall. I have to decide if I want to go with McAfee for everything or if I want to go with different companies for different components of security. If I go with different companies, then I need to read the tech forums to see which programs are compatible before I start installing.

That's the Ugh! part - reading the tech forums to get a feel for the types of problems people have been having with various software, reading the reviews, finding out which programs are compatible with others as of the year 2008, and understanding how to configure, etc. For a non-techie like me, it will take hours, and I'm not looking forward to it. Plus, as soon as someone suggests making changes to the registry, I have to skip using that software altogether.

I would try to switch to Mozilla, but I have to learn how to do this flawlessly (not screwing up by ability to use a browser), plus I need to make sure Mozilla works on all websites.

All that to say, POOH! But oh well, such is life, and I will get on with it this weekend.

Again, thanks to all who responded. Reps coming your way!