Be Ready, Be Webby Ready for the World Wide Web

Assuming you have followed our previous guide on, 10 must-do-tweaks for any new PC, you will have got a system up and running with the latest Virus and Spyware signatures, your operating system and software is updated and running and you have your data, registry and system state backed up. Yes? Great! so lets see what else you may need for a seamless web experience.

1. Demo Applications

All of us have applications installed on our systems that are trial or demo versions of programs that triggered an interest or which we may have wanted to investigate. Any which way, these programs must be removed from your system before running a web interface. A suggestion that i have (Which will be discussed in detail in the near future), is that such application testing be done in a Virtual PC. This is a secondary ‘PC’ which runs from within your host computer, sharing host resources to opperate. This generates much less of a threat for your day-to-day computing experience.

2. Printing and other devices

There are two benefits with installing all devices on a PC before connecting to the internet. Firstly, Windows Update will update any drivers that are WHQL signed and installed on your PC for you. Secondly, specifically relating to printing and removeable storage, you will come across items on the web which you may want to print or download to share with your friends and family. That’s a fact.

3. User Accounts

DO NOT USE YOUR ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT AS A DAY-TO-DAY ACCOUNT!!!!! This is the biggest hole you could have. Secure your Admin account with a strong password and create a general password protected user account for each user that will be using the PC. This minimizes the risk of a hacker getting to your data. They may still be able to access the PC itself but at least the data is behind that extra barrier.

4. Restore Point

As a fail safe mechanism, i suggest that a Restore Point be generated at this point. Just to have something to fall back on if the ‘paw-paw hits the fan’.

5. The Router

This is the key component of broadband technology and I can almost guarantee that if you are on a broadband you are behind a router. A modem is another option, but I ask you, why would you want to do that? Anyhow, I wont judge. =)

In this age of viruses, worms, and other Internet infections, a router filtering the data flow between you and the outside world coming at you at broadband speeds offers one aditional layer of protection. Connecting a PC directly to the Internet means that PC gets its own IP address, which means it can be seen by every sleazebag with malicious intent. Any guesses why I am not so keen on using a modem?