Quick Win7 network(ish) question

[Niall]

I've now moved on from Vista to the finished version

Despite several annoyances I've found various ways around, and other than the really weird and seemingly pointless taskbar issue (why the hell is msn not appearing on the right with other programs, and what's the deal with this grouping nonsense, and why are the icons spaced so far apart when set to small?) I actually like Win7. I've still got a lot to do with it to perfect it as it's a 3 days old installation and I've sadly had other things on my mind to complete instead, but it'll get there.

I have two queries now I think about it, but the main one is a simple one I'll test tomorrow, but I thought I'd ask as the nerd in me wants to pool info. If you have your network set to auto detect, do you see a delay in the web returning results? I only ask as everything about Win7 so far is much quicker than Vista, apart from this. There's a 1-2 second delay in responses to net activity, and it's not router side as I've already checked that. I still haven't gotten around to turning off that damn annoying UAC thing, so it's possible it's that. Although I did notice that NOD32 seems to do more under Win7 than it does under Vista, so it could also be that.

I'll find out over the next 7 days anyway as I'm off next week, with the exception of one days photography outing I've arranged to be boring as well as nerdy

My other query is firewall related. Under Vista I just used the Windows firewall as I had a vast array of anti virus/malware/spyware programs along with a router set up to hidey hidey mode Is the Win 7 firewall just as good as the one Vista had, or is it worth purchasing one? I only went with the Windows one last time as there was a serious flaw in every single firewall package going when I last read up on them about a year ago. If it wasn't slow down, false positives or a lack of functionality, it was plain lazy coding making it useless.

This reminds me. I think my router lost it's security settings when I upgraded firmware a while ago, as something is working that shouldn't be without network card info

[DorsetBoy]

Taskbar : it is possible to make the taskbar the same as XP/Vista, but to be honest once you have used Win7 for a while you should find the new way better.

I found a delay on the web whether using a VPN or with the router set up to have each machine seperately connected using any Eset product. Eset have had major issues in several of their last releases, the last fiasco in Smart Security was to prevent any M$ updates installing.

I have also found web interfaces will take up to 45 seconds to start loading, the Draytek router panel is a nightmare,no matter what AV/FW filtering settings are applied in  Eset, even setting the IP to be excluded makes no difference.

I have removed Eset from all my machines now and use the new Avast5 (free) edition,the lag/delay has gone and my machines definitely work better for the change. The other AV which works well is MSE , I  prefer the "extra" conrol with Avast and the fact that the updates arrive more frequently than Eset and MSE (MSE can go 2 days without any updates   )

The Win7 enhanced firewall is excellent I am using it with this addition Windows 7 Firewall Control  I use the free version, the premium apps have more features but I have not felt the need to upgrade.

If you use DEP ( set for all applications ), SEHOP,LUA and UAC along with the Win firewall and a good AV you are well protected and have a much faster machine, a good router means the need for a complex software firewall app is just not needed.

The other good free service is Open DNS , even without using their control panel, just changing to their name servers means that malicious sites get flagged to you.

[Niall]

I think I may have no choice to switch to another Anti Virus package. God know what though, as Avast 5 is £35 and that's way too expensive for an anti virus in my opinion.

It occurred to me after reading a forum or two, that the other delays I see when moving files around is actually the real time protection slowing things, as I see a delay of 2-3 seconds if I move something from one drive to another.

It's basically like Norton used to be. I imagine my system would be much faster if I removed NOD32.

Why can't people develop their programs properly so this sort of thing doesn't happen? I assume it would be less obvious if I was using an SSD drive and had the hex core CPU, with better RAM, that I'm planning on getting in the next few months, but currently that isn't possible.

Ho hum, yet another program I've bought that I can't use. Makes you wonder why people pirate software doesn't it? Oh wait, it doesn't

[DorsetBoy]

Niall, don't pay for an AV use the free version of Avast or even the free MSE.

Look at these links ........

http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/rap-index.xml

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/mse2.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

see how well Avast and MSE do against the "Big names" especilly as they beat Norton hands down.

[Niall]

Thanks for that, I'll give MSE a go

[Niall]

Yep, with that installed, the PC is lightning fast again. As long as this actually catches the evil that is a virus, job done. With all the other security I have installed, along with my usual common sense, I think I should be safe anyway. My only concern will be the websites that have been attacked and have adverts that try to inject a virus onto your PC. I know NOD32 caught those, so I'm assuming this will.

I'll create my usual shortcuts to temp folders, to clear out anything that appears during the day anyway

[Den]

Both of mine fly along with Norton 2010 on them, MSE was missing too many things.

[Niall]

Yeah, after reading up on MSE I've uninstalled it. There are far too many people complaining of it missing horrific virus programs. I'm trying avast free at the moment. If that sucks I'll have to put up with NOD32 slow down issues, as I'm not exposing the PC to something that shouldn't get through in the first place, for the sake of system performance.

[Ray]

Both of mine fly along with Norton 2010 on them, MSE was missing too many things.

I'd agree with that, Den, been using Norton 2010 for about 3 months now with no problem, forget what Norton used to be like it's entirely different now and very light on system resources.

[Den]

You can get a three month trial of Norton 2010 with most computer mags and then go into someware such as PC world or W H Smiths and buy it at half price. 

[Ray]

Very true, got mine from Amazon for £24 for a 3 PC licence.

[Rik]

I'd agree with that, Den, been using Norton 2010 for about 3 months now with no problem, forget what Norton used to be like it's entirely different now and very light on system resources.

Norton used to be like that.

[DorsetBoy]

The results at VB100 show MSE as surpassing Symantec/Norton http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/rap-index.xml  the results are quite surprising with programs that a few years ago would have been bottom of the list now being at the top above the big names.

My reason for not using MSE was just feeling it was too quiet,having been used to so much info from other apps. Avast 5 free is a superb AV with a better range of settings than Nod32. You get plenty of info and a "Quiet gaming mode".


Edited to add this which I foiund just now ..... http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anti-virus-software.htm

[esh]

Setting your network adapter to "auto detect" is effectively using DHCP; the network card broadcasts its MAC and then the server (router in this case) assigns you an IP address which it uses from thereon. There is no more DHCP traffic until the lease has to be renewed (typically several hours), so there is no reason why automatic/DHCP should induce any delay -- once the IP address and subnet are set from the initial communication there is nothing else to be done.

[wecpcs]

Very true, got mine from Amazon for £24 for a 3 PC licence.

So Did I.

Colin

[DorsetBoy]

Setting your network adapter to "auto detect" is effectively using DHCP; the network card broadcasts its MAC and then the server (router in this case) assigns you an IP address which it uses from thereon. There is no more DHCP traffic until the lease has to be renewed (typically several hours), so there is no reason why automatic/DHCP should induce any delay -- once the IP address and subnet are set from the initial communication there is nothing else to be done.

I use MAC Bind so the machines always have the same IP's, the issue is not hardware related,remove the Eset software and replace with any one of a dozen different AV apps and the problem is gone.

[Niall]

This is true. I sorted that last night. Currently using Avast which still does it to a MUCH lesser degree, but it's not annoying. MSE didn't do it at all, but apparently is rubbish according to real users reports. My connection was up and down like a whores drawers last night so I couldn't post to let you know

{edit} I tell a lie, I sorted it earlier as I posted in the thread saying so. God, busy two days

[DorsetBoy]

This is true. I sorted that last night. Currently using Avast which still does it to a MUCH lesser degree, but it's not annoying. MSE didn't do it at all, but apparently is rubbish according to real users reports. My connection was up and down like a whores drawers last night so I couldn't post to let you know

{edit} I tell a lie, I sorted it earlier as I posted in the thread saying so. God, busy two days

Niall, MSE can't be bad, it would not be in the vb100 top level if it was and look at ll the other awards it has.  Looking around the net I see people decrying just about every AV/Firewall/suite that is made, all will miss something as there are new nasties produced every day.

The biggest noise comes from people that are stupid enough to go to dodgy sites and then allow downloads.

[JB]

I found MSE to be fine. From time to time there was a very slight slowing down of some aspects of my computer, but very minor.

I am now back with Avast and notice no slowing at all.

Just me I guess.