None of the versions of Windows, including the latest Windows 7 come with a complete security suite that blocks unauthorized network attacks and prevents malware from entering the system. While the Windows Firewall that later versions of Windows come with provides basic protection, it is better to find a 3^rd party solution where the firewall software is tightly integrated with the antivirus software because many of the exploits are made to work around the default protections of Microsoft’s operating system.  Here the steps that you need to take in order to find and install the right antivirus firewall software.

Ignoring Suspicious Freeware

The most practical way in searching for free or commercial antivirus firewall software is to use a popular search engine and enter keywords that are related to the newest antivirus downloads.  So many results will be displayed with some of them promising no fees for using the software.  While these are tempting offerings, not all free solutions provide quality protection while others may have hidden malware that only cause problems when they are installed.

Searching in Software Catalogues and Directories

There are various websites found on the web that catalogue useful applications in different categories.  Many people go there to find the latest useful applications or get software recommended by the site’s editors and frequent visitors.  The “Security” or “Antivirus” category should have download links to plenty of antivirus firewall software. Be sure to read the reviews thoroughly to see if the antivirus firewall solution lives up to its claims. Also, carefully read the features of the software to make sure that it has a built-in virus scanner and firewall functionality.  The system requirements should be checked as well to make sure that the software will work on your operating system and set of hardware.

Ensuring that all Antivirus Firewall Software Components are Active

Once a good antivirus firewall software application is downloaded, close all open windows programs, including the browser windows and uninstall any standalone virus scanners and independent 3^rd party firewalls to ensure smooth installation of the new antivirus firewall software.  Pay close attention when running the installer, because some programs have a wizard where you need to configure various aspects of the program for it to work correctly. You can either focus on maximum security or you can go for better performance.  If you have more than 2 GB RAM or heavily exceed the minimum requirements, it is best to use the default configuration.  Most instances of this software will require the computer to be restarted after the installation finishes.  If you have any unsaved applications that are running in the background, close them properly to save work and commence with the restart.

Once the system fully reboots, you should notice a new icon on the system tray where you can bring up the antivirus firewall software at any time.  The window that pops up when you click or double-click on it can be used to do manual virus scans, configure the firewall, or any other settings pertaining to the real-time virus scanner and other features.  Consult the user’s manual to learn more about using your new software. Most of the good software should work automatically in the background protecting you from active threats.

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In order to give your Windows operating system an extra layer of protection, you will need to install a few applications that can cover some of the holes in the system. Even with the Windows Firewall activated, some viruses may sneak into the system causing some damage to system files and may even disrupt the firewall to make the computer more vulnerable. Teaming up the default firewall with a solid virus scanner may add to your system’s defense, but smarter hacks may go around the firewall because of its firewall’s basic nature.  This means that both a dedicated virus scanner and more powerful firewall solution are needed if you really wish to surf the web with confidence.  Getting a single antivirus firewall software program can even be better because of the following advantages.

Easier to Install

Also known as a “Security Suite”, antivirus firewall software comes as a single installation package to make it much easier to set up on a system.  These installers take the form of a wizard which presents step-by-step instructions that is easy to follow to ensure that all of the components are properly set up so there is very little need to configure the software afterwards.  Since both the antivirus and firewall components are installed in a same installer, only a single reboot is required to finish the process.

Friendlier Configuration

With the antivirus and firewall features serving as components of a bigger application, the user interface ends up being friendlier, often having these components accessible from the home panel.  Any other features that are included such as web filters, spyware scanners, and other unique features may be just as easy to access.  Some of the better antivirus firewall software have their preferences dialogs organized as well so that firewall options and real-time scanning options can be configured quickly and easily.

Greater Protection

Although virus scanners and firewalls are designed to serve as a barrier to prevent harmful malware and attacks to reach the vulnerable operating system components, other forms of malware may tackle the individual security programs themselves.  For instance, there might be a virus that cannot be blocked by the firewall that can disable the virus scanner made by different developer than the developer that made the firewall software.  With an antivirus firewall software, both components are made of the developer, resulting to the two components working together better by stopping any forms of attack.

Lesser Resource Consumption

Installing both a firewall and an antivirus software program results in two different programs running in the background.  When there is a need to configure this software, two home menus need to be opened, making the resource consumption even greater.  By combining the components into a single and powerful program that runs in the background, lesser resource consumption is achieved.

These advantages only apply to the antivirus firewall software that is popular amongst critics and tech enthusiasts.  It is best to get these leading solutions because they provide full protection and cost lesser than purchasing separate firewall and antivirus solutions.

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Sorry if that didn’t help a lot. But I need more info in order to answer clearly.

Thanks

A VPN like HotSpotShield should hide your IP Address.

http://hotspotshield.com

Good free firewalls are Comodo (w/o the anti-virus),PC Tools Firewall Plus,ZoneAlarm. Install only one and then disable that Windows firewall.

http://www.download.com

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

and as for free antivirus software I would recommend AVG:

http://free.grisoft.com/

Pay for anti-virus software from the biggies Symantec/Norton or Mcafee and it’ll cost roughly £50 per year. Yet you can also take advantage of a variety of decent free programmes…

* Grisoft’s AVG 8.0.

AVG has a long history, and has been through loads of modifications to provide a better service on its way to the current version, AVG 8.0. The company makes its money by selling virus protection to small businesses, and offers free home-user versions as a means of promoting its professional service. It’s protection is reasonably thorough, though it doesn’t offer any real tech support. It’s quite unintrusive, doesn’t use too many resources, and it will regularly auto-update.

* Alwil Softaware’s Avast! 4.

Alwil software’s Avast! 4 is free for non-commercial users and offers regular updates, as well as proper technical support via e-mail or phone. Protection-wise it’s very similar to AVG, covering all the same bases and not hogging system resources, but it has a funkier interface (for those who like a pinch of fashion with their computer security). The only downside is that you have to re-register it after each year of use.

* AntiVir.

AntiVir by Alvira actually offers better standard virus detection than both of the above, but lacks in other areas. It won’t scan your emails before you open them, uses more resources (less of a problem if you’ve a more powerful PC), and maintains a perhaps-too-visible presence on your desktop. You’ll also have to occasionally re-register it to keep it going.

Whichever of these you choose, there’s one important warning…

Hackers develop new bugs constantly. All these free anti-virus services offer regular updates, if you don’t download them, you’re not protected.

Yet it’s not just about how up to date your software is. If you’re not using it, what’s the point. Try to fit in a full ‘on-demand’ scan (that is, one where the virus scanner flicks through all the files on your hard drive) once a week. This should make sure nothing slips through the net.
Free online virus scanners for further protection

Whilst they shouldn’t replace proper software, online scanners provide a secondary scan and can sometimes be more up to date. So if you’re worried your software isn’t working well enough, or want a second opinion, these are worth a regular play with.

* Trendmicro’s Housecall 6.6.

Updated daily, Housecall 6.6 will rummage through your whole machine, identifying infections as it goes. As a bonus, it’ll also look for other vulnerabilities in your machine, and in many cases fix those it finds. Feedback’s generally excellent for the service, though be aware it might pique the interest of your firewall since it runs using ActiveX or Java (you choose which).

* Panda Security’s Activescan 2.0.

In a bid to sell you its paid-for security programmes, Panda Security also offers a free online scan, which will be better for some as it can be customised to only scan certain sections of your hard drive.

A note for those with new PCs

Often companies throw in free anti-virus programs hoping you’ll subscribe to them out of convenience once the free trial ends. By all means take advantage of the free offer, but then ditch and switch to a free version when it expires. Make sure you uninstall the trial too; it may interfere with the new virus scanner, and even if not it’ll certainly slow down your PC.

Note for Norton users only: It can be a bit of a pain to get rid of all Norton AntiVirus’s components from your machine. If you’re having trouble doing so, try Symantec’s own Norton Removal Tool, which is designed to solve this very problem.
Free Firewall software

Anti-virus isn’t the only protection your computer needs. If you don’t have a Firewall, you’re leaving all your files and sensitive information vulnerable. Therefore its important to get one. To help explain this, let me use a simple analogy.

If anti-virus software’s the border patrol checking to see what’s allowed in, a firewall’s the border fence stopping all the bad stuff coming in in the first place.

Got a router?

Thankfully most of us use a router to connect to the web nowadays rather than just a modem. I say thankfully because routers have built-in firewalls which deal with incoming connections before they hit your PC, and outgoing connections before they hit the web after leaving your machine. Ensure yours is turned on and set to a high enough level of security. Consult the manual or search online for the make and model number if you don’t know how to check.

Whilst you’re there, check your router password has been changed from its default; you’d be surprised at how

A good Antivirus program will stop computer viruses from infecting your computer. There are many forms of computer viruses from e-mail worms, to programs that will delete your hard drive and crash your computer.