Download Speed vs AV

[Mick Fisher]

I was a long term user of AVG Free. From past experience I knew it didn't noticeably affect download speed or slow up the computer, indeed I have often commended it's small footprint.
Lately however it has been producing false positives with an ever increasing regularity. In the past this has happened rarely and has been corrected usually at the next signature update. Not so now, with each update the problem gets worse and worse. Until recently all these false positives have been with embedded files in archives so although niggling it wasn't a big problem. That was until it decided a paintshop pro plug-in that had been in use for simply ages was a threat and caused Paintshop to close with the subsequent loss of some hours of work. So it was bye-bye AVG, welcome to my Bin.
The first replacement I tried was NOD32. That lasted 2 days, what a disaster. It noticeably slowed the computer and downloading speeds. I can't say how much by because it also crashed Diskeeper each night causing a restart each morning to get things back on an even keel. So NOD32 got swiftly binned.
Next up is Kaspersky, again I notice a slight slow down of the machine generally but at least it doesn't conflict with Diskeeper. A big BUT however is that it slows my downloads by approx 50%!!! Downloading from a newsgroup using 15 connections at midnight I was annoyed to find I could only attain 7meg with the machine struggling to just scroll a list, increasing 30 connections made no difference. I then disabled all the AV options of Kaspersky and the DL rose to 16meg with 15 connections with the machine back up to speed. So looks like Kaspersky is heading for the bin too.
Next up will be Bitdefender. Maybe it will fare better?

So if you are struggling with your Download speeds, it looks like AV is yet another thing to eliminate before phoning VM's TS. :dozey:

[Bonglet]

an antivirus should have no effect on downloads whatsoever unless it is downloading and updating in the background even scanning files sure it might lag your computer a bit but in no way should it affect downloads.

[fatassmichael]

Mick, i have found that when using kis, my download speeds "jump" from around 16-18mb to around 32-35mb, i believe my issue is down to the web antivirus part of kis, it has a "buffering" scan, or "streaming scan", when i use streaming my speeds are normal, when i use buffering, my speeds "jump up".

[xspeedyx]

32-35mb how can vm give u that speed unless u r on the 50mb trial?

[fatassmichael]

what i meant to point out, i know i am not getting that speed, as if i select a different setting in kis, it's back to normal, i think kis somehow buffers internet traffic while it is scanning it, thus reporting a different d/l speed. It is also normal speed if i "pause" the protection, just trying to confirm Mick's initial post.1498514986

First one with kis on, second with kis off.

[xspeedyx]

are you sure that test isnt cached

[fatassmichael]

positive, i cleared my cache and ran ccleaner.

[xspeedyx]

have u hacked ur modem as thats not right but fair play vm must like you lol

[fatassmichael]

no hacked modem lol, just the vip pack.

[xspeedyx]

fair play would like to have that speed stupid connection is so **** lately

[fatassmichael]

what i am trying to say darth, is only with kis on do i get those results, so kis must act like a cache, with it off, it reports what i believe to be the true speed.

[xspeedyx]

whats kis?

[fatassmichael]

kaspersky internet security

[US.M@JORHAZZARD]

Lol in the 10 years i have been playing with the internet I HAVE NEVER EVER USED ANY FORM OF A/V OR I/S, & as far as i'm aware i have never been hit with any malware..

On the other hand my wifes PC has been hit and she was using NIS lmao what a joke but then it was my fault as she had d/l'ed something for me and i ran it on her rig rather than mine lol...

But that is the only time we have ever been hit with anything malicious..

If you have been hit then you really need a slap in the head lol only idiots get viruses..

Srry if this sounds a little brutish but it's true, if your careful with your email and only accept/open attachments from ppl you know there should be no reason for you to contract a virus also you will only be hit with malware and crap like that if you visit dodgy websites i.e porn sites or wareZ sites...

COMMON SENSE REALLY IMO...

[Web-Junkie]

I'm Running AVG Free with no issues 'so far'!! My 4mb connection gives me 3.8mb downloading so nothing is restricting the speed (other than VM's STM).

I used to run Norton Systemworks but got sick of the 'renewal' fee for the AV, basically you could buy the next version of NSW for the about the same price as the renewal fee, so Norton got binned and I settled on AVG Free.

[xspeedyx]

I love AVG free never had a problem but have notice how quick my pc goes without a firewall and av but like the comfort of av and firewall

[Mick Fisher]

Mick, i have found that when using kis, my download speeds "jump" from around 16-18mb to around 32-35mb, i believe my issue is down to the web antivirus part of kis, it has a "buffering" scan, or "streaming scan", when i use streaming my speeds are normal, when i use buffering, my speeds "jump up".
I am evaluating a trial of KAV (Kaspersky Anti Virus) as opposed to KIS. I would assume KIS to be a more complex app than KAV. I am not a fan of "all in one" apps so never considered it.
You are right in your assumption that it is the MAIL AV OPTION and the WEB AV OPTION that causes the massive slowdown. Stopping these services restores the DL speeds but there are still noticable (to me) general slowdowns in areas like file saving to HDD relative to my experience using AVG. Maybe I've just been spoiled? :)

---------- Post added at 22:00 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

Lol in the 10 years i have been playing with the internet I HAVE NEVER EVER USED ANY FORM OF A/V OR I/S, & as far as i'm aware i have never been hit with any malware..

On the other hand my wifes PC has been hit and she was using NIS lmao what a joke but then it was my fault as she had d/l'ed something for me and i ran it on her rig rather than mine lol...

But that is the only time we have ever been hit with anything malicious..

If you have been hit then you really need a slap in the head lol only idiots get viruses..

Srry if this sounds a little brutish but it's true, if your careful with your email and only accept/open attachments from ppl you know there should be no reason for you to contract a virus also you will only be hit with malware and crap like that if you visit dodgy websites i.e porn sites or wareZ sites...

COMMON SENSE REALLY IMO...
Well some might say that your attitude is irresponsable, but their is much merit in what you say.
I too went without AV for ages back in the 98se days. I just relied upon the occasional online AV scan. Adware was a much bigger threat than a virus in those days but spybot and adaware could do the business for free. I only started to use AVG just prior to the switch to XP. In all the time I was without I never got infected with a virus.
I have always used AVG since I had XP and it has only ever found the odd false positive. I did get infected with a trojan ONCE but AVG did NOT detect it, giving the all clear to the infected installer and to the computer when it was infected. A couple of online scans detected it, can't remember which ones. I remember I removed the infection manually, with some difficulty, as no app seemed able.
Although I like the ?illusion? of security offered by AV, if I cannot find an AV which meets my requirements I would not be unduly perturbed to go down the unprotected route once more. I fully agree with your COMMON SENSE remark.

[xpod]

Lol in the 10 years i have been playing with the internet I HAVE NEVER EVER USED ANY FORM OF A/V OR I/S, & as far as i'm aware i have never been hit with any malware..

I`ve only been playing with pc`s(bar the c64 as a kid) & internet for 18 months now and although i`ve never actually caught a thing myself i have acquired ..& helped with machines that have been in terrible states.:)

My first few months on a (win)pc were like a baptism of fire and although i would(do even) run AV(etc) on Windows i do not run it on Linux.
I did for the first week i used Ubuntu but i soon got over it.
If things ever change though then i`ll be the first one on it.....well,mabey not the first but i wont be far behind.:)

I use a good firewall box with appropriate rules at appropriate times as well as my hosts files and a plethora of network monitoring/security apps.
I dont understand everything their telling me of course but i do to the the extent of knowing what my lot are up to as well as knowing our home network is as safe as i`m likely ever going to get it......without pulling the ethernet cable that is.

If your names not on the list.....your not getting in!!

[Daffy Duck]

Lol in the 10 years i have been playing with the internet I HAVE NEVER EVER USED ANY FORM OF A/V OR I/S, & as far as i'm aware i have never been hit with any malware..

On the other hand my wifes PC has been hit and she was using NIS lmao what a joke but then it was my fault as she had d/l'ed something for me and i ran it on her rig rather than mine lol...

But that is the only time we have ever been hit with anything malicious..

If you have been hit then you really need a slap in the head lol only idiots get viruses..

Srry if this sounds a little brutish but it's true, if your careful with your email and only accept/open attachments from ppl you know there should be no reason for you to contract a virus also you will only be hit with malware and crap like that if you visit dodgy websites i.e porn sites or wareZ sites...

COMMON SENSE REALLY IMO...

The problems near the end of your first sentence...as far as you're aware.Unless,like Mick Fisher,you do scan online at least occasionally it's quite possible you'd never know.Even with a fully working and updated AV there's no guarantee, without one all bets are off
Your commonsense isn't all that sensible either...you only accept/open attachments from friends..... who may themselves have been infected and you happen to be in there address book.As you don't have any AV you won't be scanning them before you open them.The sensible approach is to not open any attachment from anybody at all until such time as you know it is from a someone who you trust AND you've verified that they did actually send it to you.Even then it should be scanned before opening anyway.
You have obviously never heard of the malware that can be spread thru IM apps such as MSN Messenger,or that legitimate and respectable sites have been hacked and a driveby download put on them.See here for some info http://tinyurl.com/2dznnz
So it's not just porn and warez sites you can get infected from altho they may be the most likely culprits.

[US.M@JORHAZZARD]

Dude not wanting get up yr nose or anything but all you have just done is elaborate on what i have already said with the exception to the drive by download..

I have seen the effects of malware and i do know when it happens, don't get me wrong i understand the value of these AV & MW scanners, it's just in my experiance they just arn't upto the grade even the ones that do find harmful software as even those will produce a false positive therefore encouraging say an uneducated user to potentialy delete a system file that could in effect kill there pc and require them to reinstall..

I used to work for a P.O.S software development company as network,PC engineer and although i only had about 30 PC,s and 10 directors laptops (BTW these guys are the worst for security) 1st hand experiance talking there lol, i still had to use all he scanning software they handed me, so i know how valubale they are to COMPANIES...

I'm not saying people shouldn't use them i'm just stating that i don't as i pretty well know what to look for and what & what not to open.. LMAO i leave all that to my wife...

[Peil]

On the other hand my wifes PC has been hit and she was using NIS lmao what a joke but then it was my fault as she had d/l'ed something for me and i ran it on her rig rather than mine lol...

Srry if this sounds a little brutish but it's true, if your careful with your email and only accept/open attachments from ppl you know there should be no reason for you to contract a virus also you will only be hit with malware and crap like that if you visit dodgy websites i.e porn sites or wareZ sites...


So has your missus been downloading warez or looking at pron?:p:

As for it only being 'dodgy sites' the Bank of India recently ad their front page hit by a redirect attack that installed keyloggers and all sorts. A few other large sites have also been compromised, including this years superbowl (http://www.tiny.cc/saVIa (http://www.tiny.cc/saVIa) ).

To say you have never been hot by anything when you haven't actually scanned for anything is somewhat naive to say the least.

[Stuart]

If you have been hit then you really need a slap in the head lol only idiots get viruses..
Not true.

Srry if this sounds a little brutish but it's true, if your careful with your email and only accept/open attachments from ppl you know there should be no reason for you to contract a virus also you will only be hit with malware and crap like that if you visit dodgy websites i.e porn sites or wareZ sites...

COMMON SENSE REALLY IMO...
Not common sense at all. By only opening attachments from friends, you are assuming their pcs are not infected. Also, don't assume you are safe if you don't visit dodgy sites. It's like assuming you won't catch an STD because you only have unprotected sex with people who aren't prostitutes.

Major sites do get hacked. It's not beyond reason that they may get used to distribute viruses or trojans.

TBH, I'd rather take the slight performance hit caused by AV than run without protection. Thankfully, in 20 years of using various PCs (all platforms, not just IBM Compatible), I have only seen two viruses get through my defences.