your PC is open to viruses etc

wazza

won't be suprised if the majority of you have the same set up as me. I have a 8 way surge protector extension lead. Power supply for my PC, speaker, NTL modem and router are from this extension.

When i plug in the extension my modem and router starts up. So in a way my modem connection is ready and ready to feed info to my PC. Normally i switch on the PC straight after plugging in the extension. It takes time for the PC to load windows program and then the virus protection software etc. So in a way while the PC is loading up the firewall/virus protection software etc the PC could be open to unprotected internet connection/information.

I am only assuming the above. So can anyone confirm if i am right?

I have AVG, Zonealarm, Spybot, Adaware etc on my PC and for over three years of heavy use i have been lucky not be infected. Gadget show program once said that for an unprotected PC it takes roughly 6 minutes for it to be infected.

With my other PC with windows 98 when you switch it on the screen shows info about AVG doing a check before loading software. So in a way once you switch on the PC AVG is doing it's job.

Now i leave the plug for the modem out of the extension. Once my PC is up and running then i plug the modem in.

Any feedback?

albertross_2

The router will protect you.

The PC would only be able to start talking to the internet once it has picked up an IP address from the router, which is pretty late in the bootup process.

wazza

albertross wrote:

The router will protect you.

Agree but what those users who don't have a router?

albertross_2

Everyone should have a router! (esp cable users). (I know they don't, but they really should).

ADSL users would need to dial-up first so they are still safe.

But my second paragraphs answers that problem.

wazza

i did not have a router till a couple of months ago when i decided to connect the spare pc to internet