New computer w/Vista question

[JGraz15 53]

I am getting a new cpu with Vista Home Premium and was wondering what preventative software I should get? I am going to try Ad-Aware 2007 and AVG Anti-Virus (both free on download.com)...would you guys recommend anything else?

Do I need ZoneAlarm or is there a built in firewall in Vista?

Do you guys recommend anything else?

Thanks in advance,

[Vapor 0]

Software firewalls are overkill. If you have a router in your house, you are fine.

[Jason Harris 31]

For the router to be effective, would we have to set it up to be encrypted or secure or whatever the term is?

[D-MaN88 0]

Encrypting it is just to make sure no one computer savvy around your house/area hacks into your desktop and then control your computer and get important information from you and your computer while your away or even while you're typing it.

But no, you don't need to secure/encrypt it for it to work.

[Vapor 0]

For a wireless router you should always use encryption, preferably WPA. WEP is easy to crack and can be cracked in 10 minutes. This dosent have anything to do with the router being a hardware firewall though...

If a "hacker" or a bot is looking for a machine to infect or invade, when they look at your ip address, they will not see your computer, they will see the router and nothing behind it. This means they cannot get directly to your computer. Of course there are ways around it, but it is an important step in making your connection to the internet secure.