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Copyright 2003Jupitermedia
	Most Popular Tutorials • Microsoft Vista Home Networking Setup and Options The most daunting part of upgrading to Windows Vista may be trying to figure out where in the layers of menus the networking and file-sharing options are hidden. • Do It Yourself: Roll Your Own Network Cables It may not be something you do everyday, but having the supplies and know-how to whip up a network cable on the spot can be very handy. • Tips for Securing Your Home Router Seemingly minor and easily overlooked settings can still have profound security implications. Here are some steps you can take to make sure your wired or wireless home router — and by extension, your network — is as secure as possible.
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Protect Your PC Without Spending a Cent

By Joseph Moran

Free firewalls, anti-virus scanners and other utilities can offer security and savings. Keeping a Windows-based computer safe from online threats is hardly cheap these days. The cost of an Internet security suite that includes a firewall and protection against various online threats ranges between $40 and $70, an amount you must fork over again and again, year after year to keep software up to date. Not to mention a renewal cost that is usually as much as or more than you originally paid for the software.

With discretionary spending getting increasingly tight, it is imporant to know that protecting a system doesn't necessarily have to cost anything. That's because a number of companies offer free security utilities like firewalls and virus, spyware, spam and rootkit scanners. (Rootkits are a type of malware often used to secretly seize control of a computer.)

What's the Catch?

Well, there are always a few. First, companies that offer free security software aren't entirely altruistic, since they've also got programs to sell. Therefore, they typically leave certain features out of the free versions in the hopes you'll opt for a paid version instead. Whether you actually need the missing features is another matter. Free versions of software may include mild pressure to upgrade to the paid product in the form of built-in ads or periodic pop-up boxes, but generally it's not enough to be bothersome.

Second, technical support people don't work for free, so you can usually forget about support with free software. (At least personal support — there are usually online forums to which you can turn.) Of course, most commercial security software comes with only a few months of support anyway, after which time they charge handsomely on a per-minute or per-incident basis.

Last but not least, the license agreements of most of these programs permit installation only on computers used in the home and not for any profit-making purpose. This precludes any kind of business or organizational use, and sometimes applies to non-profits as well.

The List

Even with these caveats, free security software will be a viable option for plenty of users. Check out the following programs that (unless otherwise noted), work with both Windows XP and Vista, can be installed on multiple computers, and don't require registeration or personal info to download or use.

So whether you have a suite coming up for renewal or just a few unprotected PCs, these free software programs can provide both security and savings.

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