Hello all you wonderful computer literate people. My new laptop has shipped and is scheduled to be delivered early next week. This is my first laptop and the first time I will have any exposure to Wi-Fi.

I was listening to a computer talk show and they mentioned that you should never take a new computer out of the box and instantly hook it up to the internet. Doing so could result in the computer being "virus-infested" within a minute or two. Only problem was they didn't elaborate on what you SHOULD do when you take it out of the box.

So I have come here to humbly ask for your best tips regarding using a new laptop in general and also getting hooked (unhooked?) up to Wi-Fi. I did read that article that was linked in another thread but it didn't seem to give me much help.

Thanks in advance, :D Shayne :D

I was listening to a computer talk show and they mentioned that you should never take a new computer out of the box and instantly hook it up to the internet. Doing so could result in the computer being "virus-infested" within a minute or two.
Earkid, assuming your laptop will be running Windows XP, this is generally true. The average time of infection of an unprotected, unpatched Windows machine connected to the Internet is about 12 minutes (http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/1511). After that, you don't have a computer anymore--you have a zombie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_computer).

There are several things you can do to get around this problem. First and most importantly, don't connect the network cable yet!

Start the computer, and click Start - Control Panel - Windows Firewall. here[/b] (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=049c9dbe-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en) and burn it to a CD [i]from another computer and then apply the Service Pack to your disconnected new machine.] In the Windows Firewall dialog, make sure the setting on the General tab is "ON". "Don't allow exceptions" should be unchecked. Click OK to close the Windows Firewall dialog.

Click Start - Control Panel - Internet Options. On the Internet Properties dialog, select the Security tab. In the "Select a Web content zone" box, select the Internet zone. In the "Security level for this zone" box, click the "Default Level" button. Then, move the slider UP from "Medium" to "High". Now select the Trusted Sites zone and click the "Sites" button. Uncheck "Require server verification", and then enter "*.microsoft.com" and click the "Add" button. Click OK to close the Trusted Sites dialog, and Apply and OK to close the Internet Properties dialog.

NOW it is safe to plug in your network cable. The very first thing you should do once you have acquired an Internet connection is go to Windows Update (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/). You can click that link or get there through Start - Programs - Windows Update. Answer "Yes" to allow Windows Update to install its controls, and follow the instructions on the Windows Update Web page once it has loaded. Download any and all security updates it may have for you. If the update installer tells you you have to restart, that's all right; just go back to Windows Update when you've rebooted. Keep doing that until there are no more updates to download.

Almost done.

Click Start - Control Panel - System. On the System Properties dialog, select the Automatic Updates tab. Select "Automatic" if it isn't already. Leave the default of 3:00 AM; if your computer isn't on at 3:00 AM, it'll just check for updates whenever you boot up next.

Now you have a choice: stick with old, insecure, dangerous Internet Explorer or use a modern, better, more secure, standards-compliant browser. I'm not trying to persuade you or anything, though... good! Go back to the Internet Properties dialog (Start - Control Panel - Internet Options) and, following the same steps above, add "*.mozilla.org" to the Trusted Sites zone. Click Apply and OK. Launch Internet Explorer and go to http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/. The "Free Download" link in the upper right will start the download of the Firefox Web browser. The installation is very easy and there's lots of help available on the Mozilla Web site.

If you decided to stay with Internet Explorer, you'll need to change the Internet Zone setting from "High" back down to "Medium" if you want to get anything done. I really don't recommend it, though; Internet Explorer is the vector-of-choice for all sorts of evil bad stuff (http://secunia.com/product/11/).

Good luck and let us know if you have any trouble!

Thank you so much Andrew. That is exactly the type of info I was looking for.

We just got back from Fry's Electronics and purchased a wireless router. It is a NetGear Wireless Firewall Router that includes MacAfee SpamKiller 6.0. We also got a Print Server. I hope I am not getting in over my head.

Laptop is due Wednesday. I feel like I'm about to give birth and we are spending this weekend putting all the nursery furniture together!! LOL :D

Posting via the new laptop while reclining on my bed. It makes me want to sing "I've got no strings to hold me down......." LOL

Of course I am using Firefox. But I have to use IE to connect to my University and get assignments and submit them, etc. I hate it but I have no choice. Believe me, I have sent our IT guy many emails asking why, oh, why can't we use Mozilla?

Thanks for all your help!!