Two computer questions

[eric5148]

1 - I play in the MSN Zone a lot. The problem is, it doesn't work on Firefox, you need IE. I've heard so much about how horrible IE is in terms of security. Is there anything I can do (other than using a firewall and router) to protect myself?

2 - I have to reconfigure my Linksys wired router every day. Here's what happens: I hook up the router and go into the 192.168.1.1 thing in a web browser. I select DHCP connection because I have a dynamic IP address. I click save settings. At this point, the instructions say you should be able to connect to the internet, but I can't. Then I run the setup thing from the CD, and everything works fine.

After about 24 hours, it just stops working. I get an error message when I open a web browser. I tried turning off the computer and restarting the modem, but that doesn't do anything. The only thing I can do is press the reset button on the router and reinstall it. Then it works for another day.

[BusterStacks]

1) No

2) Try setting the lease time higher on IP addresses, or specifiying static routes according to your MAC address.

[Leo99]

IE is not that insecure. Protect yourself from viruses and adware. Don't worry that much about hackers.

I've never configured my router. I just plugged the wires in and it's always worked. My guess is that you're setting your router to work with the specific IP address you've been assigned for the day by your ISP. Then, if they roll the IP adresses, you're cut off. Don't run executables from dubious sources and you should be ok.

[eric5148]

[ QUOTE ]
Try setting the lease time higher on IP addresses

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, I'll try that.

[ QUOTE ]
or specifiying static routes according to your MAC address.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, I'm a tard with computers, how do you do this?

[Randy_Refeld]

I had a linksys router and had those problems. Tech support couldn't fix it so I sent it back for a new one and the new one works fine.

RR

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
IE is not that insecure.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, this is the first time I've heard this. My system administrator said there are about a half a dozen exploits that Microsoft won't even patch. They know about them, the public knows about them, but no patch.


Also, Homeland Security doesn't like it. My brother is in the Airforce, and they are not allowed to use IE.
http://slashdot.org/articles/04/07/02/1441242.shtml?tid=103&tid=113&tid=126&tid=172&tid= 95&tid=99

[ QUOTE ]
Protect yourself from viruses and adware. Don't worry that much about hackers.

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF kind of advice is this? Don't worry about hackers? Back when I used IE I used my debit card to make a purchase online. That was a huge mistake. A hacker got into my computer and decided to make a $5,000 withdrawel from my bank account. After many many hours worth of hard work I finally proved to my bank I didn't make the transfer and got my money back. The bank then decides to inform me that they have been having an incident like this almost every single day.

Don't worry about hackers? Lovely advice. Ever heard of Identity Theft? Look up the stats on that.

Get a firewall. That is an absolute must. IE is ok to use on MSN websites, but if you are going to do any porn surfing or money transactions online Firefox and a Firewall is very very important. Opera, Mozilla, Safari, and Netscape are all good too.

[Leo99]

Please, you sound like Hennypenny. The sky isn't falling. Our poster is not in the Airforce. Our poster wants to play games on the Internet and you're telling him doom and gloom will befall him. I don't agree. I've used IE for years just like millions of other people without ID theft.

Maybe it would be a good idea to swtich to using a credit card instead of a debit card? You might want to think about that. Also, how do you know a broke into your PC and that it was a vulnerability in IE that allowed it?

Who is your system administrator? Is this at work or school? What browser to you use? I'm guessing it's IE like almost every other company uses. How insecure is IE if most major corporations use it?

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
Our poster wants to play games on the Internet and you're telling him doom and gloom will befall him.

[/ QUOTE ]

I already said it was fine for those sites. People that do use IE tend to get a lot of spyware though, so I still don't think it's good to use is in high risk situations. It's not doom and gloom, but it can be a pain in the rear.

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe it would be a good idea to swtich to using a credit card instead of a debit card?

[/ QUOTE ]

Already did, Amex Blue. It's kind of hard to do that with Poker Sites though.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, how do you know a broke into your PC and that it was a vulnerability in IE that allowed it?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't. I'm going off of what the bank says the standard MO is.

[ QUOTE ]
Who is your system administrator? Is this at work or school? What browser to you use? I'm guessing it's IE like almost every other company uses. How insecure is IE if most major corporations use it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Only Firefox, Safari, and Mozilla at work. The administrator works for a genomics company. I don't work there anymore, but I still see him every now and then.

GTG.....

[BusterStacks]

[ QUOTE ]
How insecure is IE if most major corporations use it?

[/ QUOTE ]

Whoa, is that really your reasoning? Hey I wanna show you something, post your IP address really quick.

[Leo99]

Can't you get it yourself?

[BusterStacks]

No, not really.

[Leo99]

68.39.30.23

[Leo99]

I can't stand the suspense.

[BottlesOf]

Me too. Buster do something cool.

[eric5148]

You hijacked my thread goddamnit. Now you better do something cool.

[Leo99]

You're not gonna believe this. I just had a power failure. All the electricity in my house went out for about 20 seconds. Wow, I'm impressed.

[eric5148]

Kewl

[wacki]

[ QUOTE ]
IE is not that insecure. Protect yourself from viruses and adware. Don't worry that much about hackers.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Secunia is reporting on three vulnerabilities in IE6 running on XP SP2. Any of these, in combination with an inappropriate behaviour where the ActiveX Data Object (ADO) model can write arbitrary files, can be exploited to compromise a user's system. Moreover, the vulnerability can be used to delete files from the user's system. Secunia says 'Solution: Use another product.'"

http://secunia.com/advisories/12889/

If you want to wait 2 more weeks I'm sure another critical exploit will be found. This week is a 3 for 1 special.