Getting an Internet connection at home is easy, but the consequences of half knowledge can be disastrous. Many people think getting an Internet connection is just like get a cable TV connection. However it is not as simple as that...
Here are some basic things you should be aware while taking an Internet connection at home.
1) Need for original operating system.
Every PC requires an operating system to run software... Examples of operating systems are Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac, etc. When an operating system is sold, known problems are fixed. However, so many new bugs are found after it is sold. These bugs may result in either your computer getting into trouble while functioning and/or having security issues where in some one can take control of your computer and all the contents on it including all your bank/mail passwords or personal information/photos. A computer not connected to Internet cannot be controlled from outside, but once connected to Internet, any security hole is a threat.
If you have an original operating system, the software company will let you download and install the bug fixes, thus covering up any security holes in the operating system. If you do not have an original one, then you may not be allowed to update your operating system and it would be like keeping your door open and sleeping in your home. You may think you are safe, but you never know when someone might just barge in.
2) Operating system should be up to date.
Just having an original operating system is not sufficient. Ensure that it is up to date.
3) Anti-virus software from a reputed company.
It important to have an anti-virus software from a reputed company. If you can buy a new one, it would be the best option, however if you can get free one like AVG that may also be sufficient, provided you visit only trustworthy websites and not every and any websites.
4) Up to date anti-virus definitions.
It is not enough if the anti-virus software is installed, it should be updated for latest virus definitions.
5) No point in installing anti-virus and then browsing by disabling the anti-virus.
The Anti-virus should be in mode where you are protected all the time. There is a wrong perception with some people that Virus infection happens only when you download something, so you only need to do a virus check while downloading. This is not true. A virus can attack at any time. Some viruses remain undetected on the PC and might just suddenly attack on a particular day. Your PC may be attacked by virus just by browsing a website. So ensure that you get an anti-virus software that the capability to detect viruses all the time.
5) Precautions while visiting websites.
If you are careful about which sites you visit, the chances are that your computer will be attacked very easily. Earlier there were no particular methods by which one could actually know which websites are safe and which are not. However now there are software like McAfee Site Advisor, AVG search shield, etc. which give you warning if the website can harm your computer and/or how safe the website is. When you do a Google search, once you install this software, you will see markings that will tell you if it safe to visit the site. Though these may not be 100% foolproof, it does reduce the chance of a virus attack to the minimal. Also now a days even Google search engine does warn you if a site can harm your PC.
6) Taking care while storing contents on computers.
It is not advisable to put all your personal stuff on the computer into unsecured folders. Any virus attack and all these information could be stolen by the person or computer that takes over. The best thing is to put them in removable pen drives or cd drives where access is not always possible for other or find special programs that keep folders secure under password. People have got stolen their mail passwords, bank passwords, etc. when their computer was attacked. If your bank password is stolen you might find your bank account to have zero balance though you might have stacked some crores in there! Some who put their intimate and personal photos on their PC soon found them all over the Internet with absolutely no idea of how and when it happened.
7) Webcam.
Even webcams are dangerous devices.
People can hack and take control of your webcam without your knowledge. So do not your use your webcam to show things you do not want everyone else to see. Even when you think your webcam is off, a hacker can switch it on without your knowledge. So if you are going to change your dress in front of the camera thinking it is off, it even may not be as someone else in some distant part of the world may be watching! Also buy a webcam that has a physical shutter and close it when you do not use your webcam.
8) What is download and the cost of upload/download.
Most new users think that browsing and downloading are two things. Some think that only when you click something which specifically says “download” and you save something on to your computer you are downloading. However this is not the case. Any time a computer is connected to the Internet, it works by sending information from PC to Internet and from Internet to PC. Thus information is uploaded and downloaded. This actually uses bandwidth.
Most important for New inexperienced home users - Financial Implication of Bandwidth usage.
People jump and take an Internet connection seeing broadband is available for say Rs.99/-. However they are unaware of the financial implications of a normal usage. They might not have noticed that they get only 99 MB bandwidth for Rs.99/- and every extra MB is going to cost them say Rs.2/-. Many are just not aware what a bandwidth is and some like said earlier assume download in a different sense.
Any browsing is going to upload and download data. Which is going to add up into your total bandwidth and you will be charged. How much bandwidth is utilized is dependent on the type of data. A pure text page will have less size and less data. So it will use very less bandwidth. A webpage with images is going to consume a lot more bandwidth. The size of the image and type of graphic will determine this. Videos consume tremendously high bandwidth.
An easy way to understand this is by comparing size of various files in your computer. See how much is the size in bytes for an ordinary single page word document?! See the size of picture and videos and you will understand the difference in size in bytes.
Suppose you take a Rs.99/- connection and suppose you or someone at your home keeps watching videos everyday on the Internet without worrying about bandwidth, you might end up having a bill of even Rs.10,000/- at the end of the first month!
Also when you do windows update or software update/anti-virus update via web, your bandwidth is being used. So you might end up crossing your bandwidth even when you might not have actually browsed, but software updates happened in the background.
So if you are going to take Internet at home, do not take a very cheap plan, take a plan that has at least 1 GB limit, else you might end up paying a huge bill. Also learn how to check usage and keep monitoring it regularly to know if you have crossed your limit. The best thing, if you can afford, is it to take unlimited plan.
There have been cases where a parent took something like a Rs.99/- Internet connection for just checking mails and children used the Internet connection without the parent’s knowledge to watch full length movies on the Internet through out the whole month and ending up with an exorbitant bill running into several thousands.
Special Advice To Parents
Parents should take special care to monitor their children as Internet is a place where every criminal online anywhere in the world may be just a click away. There are several filter programs and program that can be installed to control what children are using. However if you are not so much a techie, the best thing is to keep the computer in a common room where you can watch them over the shoulder.
