Elephant's config and few questions

[Elephant]

I want this system to be lightweight as possible. I like to play fps games online, so my priority is to not slow down internet connection and maintain low ping, but I want also decent protection. Previously I had Norton Internet Security for 6 years on default settings, but it's time for a change.

Should I add some browser extentions?

I think about installing MBAM for on-demand scanning, but is there antything as good, but portable? I don't like to install programs, when not necessary.

Last and most important question about firewall. I have a cable modem/router Thomson TWG870U. There is a Firewall section in the router menu. Which of the options should I enable:

Web Features

• Filter Proxy On/Off
• Filter Cookies On/Off
• Filter Java Applets On/Off
• Filter ActiveX On/Off
• Filter Popup Windows On/Off
• Block Fragmented IP Packets On/Off
• Port Scan Detection On/Off
• IP Flood Detection On/Off
• Firewall Protection Off/Low/Medium/High

By default all the options are off, and firewall set to low. Will it slow down my internet connection if I enable all, and set Firewall to High?

I have also Windows Firewall enabled with default settings, and I want to install WFC and learn how to tweak it.

 

[frogboy]

Here is a link for a good portable AntiMalware scanner. http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/emsisoft_emergency_kit.html

 

[LabZero]

Router firewalls usually work primarily with packet filtering technique. Can also use another technique called Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI). the SPI allows not only control package header data, but also allows you to analyze the contents, to capture more information than simple source and destination addresses. A firewall that uses this type of technology can analyze the connection status and compile the information is a table. So the decisions to filter packages are not only based on rules defined by the administrator, but also by the behavior held with similar packages that are passed through the firewall.

I advise you not to modify the default parameters of the router firewall because you wouldn't have increased security and the Windows firewall (in) built and maintained by Webroot (out) already guarantees a good safety level.

Moreover the wrong settings may adversely affect the PING and then on the game experience.

Ps : WSA works with Windows Firewall.
For me WFC is not necessary.

 

[Cats-4_Owners-2]

@Elephant, you've a well thought out configuration.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Your questions regarding firewalls (both external & internal) are queries I've pondered a great deal myself. I may have taken for granted our own ISP's (SBC/U-verse's) router's external preset firewall as 'safe enough' but (as far as I know) don't have the adjustment options you have on yours. Maybe "medium" might offer more protection, & might be worth testing. (having just read @Klipsh's comments I'd not touch it unless certain! *looks heavenward.) This subject also reminded me of 2 posts I'd read, both not long ago. One was posted by @hjlbx, whom had mentioned a method to add more control over Windows Firewall http://malwaretips.com/posts/394820/ & the second was a video test thread begun by @cruelsister http://malwaretips.com/threads/webroot-secure-anywhere-vs-zero-day-scriptor.46801/ Your being a user of Webroot, my wish is the ensuing conversations may prove useful.

A useful & safe privacy program I'd learned of here on MT is called CCleaner. It lightens your system by clearing away unneeded (junk) temporary files & tracking cookies which build up over time. It is safe enough to use after every browsing session which I do, and it is free. It also provides the least obtrusive (some say the safest) registry cleaning which is a feature I've only used once or twice, & usually leave alone.
The best practice is to download directly from the developer's site (when possible).

• https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

Like yourself, I install as little as possible on my system preferring portable versions. Scroll down to the bottom of the download page to find their portable offering under 'builds'.

One of the more useful extensions for both security & privacy one can adopt is an adblocker. For use with Chrome, one of the favorites among members here, for it's lightness on resources, is uBlock Origin:

• https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm

Another extension (the most popularly used in our household) utilizes encryption security, replaced the less secure Chromium sourced password manager, and it is called LastPass:

• www.lastpass.com

It's also free.

Update correction: A free app. we use as often as the Lastpass extension (as seen on the yellow kite-like banner below) is Sandboxie, especially useful when navigating amidst treacherous internet currents!

• http://www.sandboxie.com/index.php?DownloadSandboxie

Sorry, no portable version is available for Sandboxie (yet)!

 

[Martin_C]

@Elephant: I would keep most of those settings off in your router.
They are much better handled by your OS and browser already.

I would enable the firewall at medium setting.
It blocks unsolicited inbound and allows outbound - meaning keeping those on the outside out.
You can then either make a few rules to forward the ports your games uses (or enable UPNP in router if you do not want to think about this, games will open and close what they need when you play)

If you set router firewall to high, you will spend a LOT of time in your routers GUI for many, many months, since it will block all kind of outbound connections also.
And consumer grade routers aren't exactly informative, logical or wise in their outbound block decisions.

 

[JM Safe]

Hello @Elephant, I agree with the other suggestions.
In addition I can suggest you to install also BitDefender 60 Second Virus Scanner, which is a very quick and efficient scanner and it runs in background, so it doesn't slow down the PC.
Then you can also install PrivaZer software; and I suggest you to install Collusion extension for your browser, which allows you to know which websites are tracking you, and this is very important.
Consider a second browser, and... only another tip: install Auslogics Disk Defrag, which can improve the speed of your PC and MPC-HC, which is a very good and fast media-player.
Thanks for sharing it, friend

 

[Elephant]

Thank you so much for all the support, this is such a great forum! I've taken advice from @Klipsh and @Martin_C and decided to leave all the router's firewall settings default. You're right - it's not high end router, just some budget device that I received from my cable-tv operator. My next step will be to learn how-to and setup properly Webroot and Windows Firewall.

@Cats-4_Owners-2 thank you for all the links about Webroot. I downloaded CCleaner portable, and I installed uBlock Origin (wow! no more ads ), and I didn't install password manager. I'm not that old, but sometimes oldfashioned, and I keep my passwords on the paper in my drawer - I don't know is it good idea, but I do it like this for years...

When I'm done with software firewall I will test Emsisoft Emergency kit and BitDefender 60 Second Virus Scanner to see which one works best for me. I always wanted to try sandboxie too, maybe it's about time to install it

@Jo Man thank you for recommending me all that software. I have also Opera portable, which I run rarely and only in private mode, that's why I forgot to mention it. I had MCP from CCCP on my old laptop, but now I have second, old PC (put togheter from old parts) with linux installed and connected to tv only to watch movies, youtube and dvb-t tv, so I don't use any windows media players on my main machine.

Thank you one more time for all the support, a lot of information, and so many great advices.
Cheers.

 

[jamescv7]

If you want portable scanner then go to Hitman Pro which you don't need to install; also on the other hand; you may try ESET Online Scanner which although installation requires but contains removal function unlike other online scanner.

That's not a problem to have WFC to enhance Windows Firewall because its more to understand than manual process of Windows Firewall with Advance Security

Router's settings is better to leave at default and it may cause trouble on such preparation if something problem exist. Instead use it for tracking the Mac Address on which devices are connected/ change that configuration.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I want this system to be lightweight as possible. I like to play fps games online, so my priority is to not slow down internet connection and maintain low ping, but I want also decent protection. Previously I had Norton Internet Security for 6 years on default settings, but it's time for a change.

Should I add some browser extentions?

not needed , WSA filter and https anywhere are enough

I think about installing MBAM for on-demand scanning, but is there antything as good, but portable? I don't like to install programs, when not necessary.

MBAM is good enough; you should install it.

Last and most important question about firewall. I have a cable modem/router Thomson TWG870U. There is a Firewall section in the router menu. Which of the options should I enable:

Web Features

• Filter Proxy On/Off
• Filter Cookies On/Off
• Filter Java Applets On/Off
• Filter ActiveX On/Off
• Filter Popup Windows On/Off
• Block Fragmented IP Packets On/Off
• Port Scan Detection On/Off
• IP Flood Detection On/Off
• Firewall Protection Off/Low/Medium/High

put all on unlesss you suffer heavy bandwidth loss, if it is the case adjust one by one to find the culprit.

I have also Windows Firewall enabled with default settings, and I want to install WFC and learn how to tweak it.

not needed, learn to use Win Firewall instead.


except those points all is good. Just follow our advices , updates your config post then you will have my approval stamp