Don’t Pay Monthly Fees for Computer Protection

Some internet service providers (ISPs) also offer different forms of internet protection, for an additional monthly fee. Here's why it's not necessary to hook yourself into a monthly fee for such protection.

There are several free software programs available that provide the same level of protection. You can't beat that price! Some of the free programs I recommend are PC Tools, Avast!, and AVG. However, I use the paid version of AVG virus software. It has more features, and the price is still just $35.00 per year. That's cheaper than paying $5.00 and up per month for the internet protection offered by your ISP.

Basically, if you're using a computer at home, you need to be protected by two different types of programs: (1) antivirus software, and (2) a firewall program. You only need one of each; two or more of either type will only create conflicts between the two programs that will slow your computer down. Two antivirus or two firewall programs will not give you more protection.

Antivirus software checks email attachments and downloaded programs for embedded, hidden, and malicious programs. Antivirus software is absolutely essential for everyone. There are countless malicious programs circulating on the Internet. Even someone who is careful could be tricked into downloading one. It's not just viruses, Trojans and worms. Today, you must worry about losing control of your computer to criminals. It could be roped into a "bot army". These compromised computers are used to blackmail sites and spread spam. An antivirus program can't stop everything. Some malware is too new. So, you still must be careful about opening e-mail attachments. Keeping your antivirus program updated is important; in most programs, you can set it to automatically check for and download updates each day.

Some type of firewall is also necessary, to keep hackers from accessing your computer. If you only have one computer, you will need a firewall software program. But if you have two or more computers connected to a home network, the firewall available in your network hardware (specifically your router) is enough. Just be sure to verify that the router firewall is turned on.