Security & Reliability
What can I do to increase security and prevent hackers from accessing information on my computer?
Hackers accessing the information on your system through the network is not a particularly common problem but there are steps you can take to help prevent this type of activity. Disabling file and print sharing features and installing security hardware and/or software (such as a firewall) is a good way that you can help to make your system more secure. The most common security risk for most computers is email viruses. We recommend that you use virus-scanning software such as Symantec's Norton Antivirus (www.norton.com), McAfee VirusScan (www.mcafee.com), or Trend Micro's PC Cillin' (www.trendmicro.com) on email attachments and keep the products up to date with the latest virus definitions. It is also recommended that Windows users visit the Windows Update site (windowsupdate.microsoft.com) regularly (at least once every month or two) to keep the software up to date with the most current security patches and updates.
What is a Firewall and should I be using one?
A firewall can be described as a system designed to prevent unauthorized
access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be either hardware
based, a software application or a combination of both. Firewalls are
frequently used to block unauthorized Internet users from accessing
private networks connected to the Internet.
Software based firewalls are the cheapest and easiest to set up but can
interfere with your Internet connection if not properly configured.
Hardware firewalls are more expensive and difficult to configure but
offer more stability to a network. If you feel that you need the
security a firewall offers, the following websites can help you decide
which method is best for you.
Software Firewalls:
Hardware Firewall/Routers:
Which is faster---a PCI network interface card or an ISA network interface card?
Both the PCI network interface card and the ISA network interface card provide users with the same Ethernet line speed---100 megabits per second. However, a PCI card will communicate with the PC's local bus at at faster speeds, thereby providing faster through-put to the user.
Will my IP address change when I use a cable modem to access the Internet?
Your IP address may occassionaly change if you are subscribing to a service level that provisions dynamic IP addresses. There are also service levels where static IP addresses are provided, meaning that your IP address will not change.
