Dec 1, 2006
ntl Netguard
Cable company NTL offers its users a seemingly simple solution to online security in the form of its snappily named Netguard.
Netguard provides a complete package of services, including antivirus, pop-up blocker, form filler (form filer, it says on the ntl site), and a privacy manager. If you want to pay for extra components there are Firewall, Anti-spyware and Parental Control modules.
The firewall apparently “blocks other users from accessing your computer while you’re on the Internet”. Surely if you’re sitting in front of your machine you can stop them getting at your keyboard and mouse with brute force? But, yes, I know what they mean.
Parental Control - blocks thousands of inappropriate websites, tools to help you control what tools (like Chat) your kids use and flexible to allow for easy over-rides. I hate that word inappropriate? Certain sectors of society could describe almost any of the billions of pages on the web as inappropriate. Youtube is “inappropriate” if you’re supposed to be doing your assignment or the housework. Again, I know what they’re really getting at.
The Anti-spyware module blocks tracking software that tracks your Internet use and steals your personal information. Tracking software that tracks. Well, I never!
Netguard is £2.99 for 2Mb customers but free for 4Mb and 10Mb customers.
And therein lies, the rub. Always a sucker for a freebie, and running on 4Mb download, last week I thought I’d give Netguard a whirl and then review it here. Within minutes a previously entirely stable Windows XP machine was rendered into a flickering “blue-screen-of-death” brick. It took me a whole working day to resurrect the machine using the recovery discs and I still cannot access the built-in DVD player. So, thanks for
nothing NTL!thanks for nothing NTL!
Turns out I’m not the only one. A friend told me they opted for Netguard when their Norton Antivirus expired and they didn’t fancy paying to renew. Same result - blue screen brick. I suspect we’re not alone, although obviously there aren’t many posts about problems with Netguard on the internet just yet because users cannot get online (they’re machines were rendered into blue screen of death bricks, remember?)
Anyway, my advice for NTL users whatever download speed you have on broadband. DO NOT USE NTL NETGUARD. FULL STOP.
Instead, grab yourself Google toolbar for your browser (unless you’re using Firefox 2 in which case wait a while as there is currently an incompatibility issue). Google Toolbar has a form filler. Upgrade to Firefox or Internet Explorer 7 for your browsing as it has built-in pop-up blocking and anti-phishing settings.
Next, get the latest version (7.5 at the time of writing) of AVG Antivirus (free for personal use) and the accompanying AVG Antispyware program. And, finally, the free ZoneAlarm personal edition for your firewall. None of these programs have ever crashed or trashed my PC and as far as independent reviewers go are just as good at their jobs as any paid for software and certainly infinitely better than NTL TrashGuard, sorry NetGuard.
The only thing missing from my list of alternatives is the parental control. But, then I know what pages I personally consider inappropriate and can steer clear. That said, OpenDNS now has a powerful parental filter that can be made to work at the router level without having to install an easy to crack nanny-type program on the computer to which your kids have access.
(Hope you got your machine fixed Lesley, by the way!)
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Darren said,
January 12, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Similar thing happened to me. I installed the program and then the next day my laptop would not work and would hang as soon as I switched the thing on. I have not removed the program so hopefully my machine will now work as before - without problem.
David Bradley said,
January 12, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I’m pretty much convinced it was this program that screwed up my machine, despite protestations from others. Avoid this one and use the tools others recommend, it’s the only way forward.
David Palmer said,
February 16, 2007 at 6:37 am
I’ve been using Netguard (for anti-virus) on three machines since it was released and haven’t encountered any problems. It scans about twice as fast as Norton and takes up less system resources.
David Bradley said,
February 16, 2007 at 8:08 am
Mr Palmer, I’m pleased for you of course, but there was a serious incompatibility with my machine that caused serious problems I wanted to warn others that they might suffer a similar fate. I didn’t think anyone used Norton these days, anyway…
jenny said,
February 24, 2007 at 2:13 pm
ntl netguard keeps shuting my computer down, when i e-mail them they never replied.
i am going to leave ntl.
charlene said,
February 27, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Yes i agree with majority of the comments
ntl has caused me nothing but rouble over the pass couple days
if i was not on a contract then i would have left ntl along time ago
David Bradley said,
February 28, 2007 at 9:03 am
ntl is no more. they were subsumed by the Branson conglomerate and are now Virgin Media. Still offering that cr*ppy program to unwary users though.
Louise said,
March 11, 2007 at 2:43 pm
hiya this netguard thing wont let me sigh into msn and it keeps shuttin my computer down why does it do this
David Bradley said,
March 13, 2007 at 9:23 am
I’ve no idea why it does what it does. I did warn people not to install it.
Graham said,
March 21, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I’ve never had problems (damage) from running netguard.
My only issue is the apparent inability of allowing access to drives on your computer to other computers on the LAN, for that I use zonealarm.
David Bradley said,
March 21, 2007 at 9:09 pm
You’re very lucky Graham. It seems that safety of this freebie from ntl lies about 50:50 between users. I wonder whether there’s a simple explanation such as an incompatibility for XP Home or Pro users or some other obvious difference between those who find it works well and those for whom it trashes their system and requires a complete XP deletion and reinstallation of absolutely everything from scratch, not that I am bitter or anything Mr N.T.L. World!!!
Arman said,
May 7, 2007 at 2:56 am
I have the same problem. I thought it was a virus on my computer but it seems that you guys have had the same problem. So it is damn ntlgurd not a virus!!!
David Bradley said,
May 7, 2007 at 9:18 am
I think there are two types of ntl netguard users: those who have no problems with it, and those who get their whole system trashed by the sh*tty program.
hobnob Widenose said,
May 11, 2007 at 2:40 pm
well this a good one >
my system is on a wireless internet connection through my dads machine ,,
since branson sorted NTL out …. ive had more crashes turn offs etc software not running etc .. due to the primary machine .ie my dads .. running ntlnet guard , i know jack about pcs , i just know enough to get me from A 2 B , etc
and after reading for wks on the net about this subject .. i m finking , that its my dads pc screwing mine up big time ….
like the father can teach his son ,,,, but can the son teach the father !!! ?
im running AVG FREE antivirus etc , hoping that itll kill the trojan still on the machine .NTL HAS GONE , SO WHY IS MY DAD STILL F.USING IT! DWEEBS EVERYWHERE! GOD HELP ME .
peace out
Hermes said,
May 12, 2007 at 7:09 am
Maybe it might have something to do with you using the old version - get the new one @ http://www.virginmedia.com/pcguard
David Bradley said,
May 12, 2007 at 7:51 am
Hermes, that’s not the point. Obviously, I was using the “old” version, not the posting date on this item. After that experience, I don’t think I’d risk installing the new version though, not given that there are several free resources out there that are better by all accounts.
Louis said,
May 29, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Never had a problem with Netguard, i have tried avast and zonealarm pro, but each one i’ve had separate problems with, slower startups, different scans and database checks that seem irrelevant and make no sense to me, who isn’t running a particularly complex system or network. Think i’m lucky in that Netguard works fine with the system i’m running, so no complaints from me! Although it would be good to have a separate and more in-depth virus program THAT I CAN TELL THAT I DON’T WANT IT TO START WHEN I TURN MY COMPUTER ON, and that i can just use for virus scans every now and again.
Louis
Graham said,
May 31, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Louis, like this? http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
I don’t use Netguard anymore, got a Zonealarm thing paid for by joining ebay! :o)
However, for me the problem with it was not corruption, but the fact I couldn’t work out how to configure it to allow shared drives on our LAN. :o(
Jim said,
June 27, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I have just uninstalled NetGuard and gone back to AVG and Zonealarm.
Like David Bradley I had more blue screens than enough and once uninstalled the system went back to normal with one exception I keep getting a message as show below . . . . Can anyone help please?
RUNDLL
Error loading C:\PROGRA~1\WILDTA~1|APPS\CDA\CDAEND~1.DLL
The system cannot find the path specified
David Bradley said,
June 27, 2007 at 10:52 pm
I suspect your error is related to WildTangent - a piece of spyware - download AdAware and do a full system scan. Then download CCleaner and do a full system cleanup, that should get rid of remnants. Finally install the startup.cpl Control Panel module and check what is being loaded by Windows at startup. You might find it is somehow still listed there, delete it from the startups. Hope that helps
terry martin said,
June 30, 2007 at 8:31 pm
i used netguard for a while with no problembs but one day my pc was acting funny so i put avg on it and found viruses on there so i took off netguard and used avg no porobs since
David Bradley said,
July 2, 2007 at 8:34 am
Terry, thanks sadly for adding your name to the list of confirmers. Of course, ntl netguard is now known as VirginMedia PCGuard, be warned.
Tom said,
September 25, 2007 at 11:20 am
Totally agree ntlguard was crap. Anyone tried the replcaement - http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/pcguard/
matthew said,
November 14, 2007 at 8:51 pm
this is the opportunity to tell you that there will be a virus to my parents
David Bradley said,
November 14, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I’ve no idea what that means Matthew, could you please explain further for us…?
David Bradley said,
December 17, 2007 at 11:19 am
Has anyone who had problems with ntl netguard tried the latest release from its Virgin successor? I’d be interested to know if it’s an improvement of just as bad as the original
db
jeff said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:50 am
I tried the ntl netguard antivirus and it does in fact suck. I downloaded AVG afterwards and found that to be adequate. However, I don’t think AVG’s auto protection is that good. I have also heard that its detection rates were just sub par. I found a list of online anti virus scanners that I use regularly here These should help you find viruses maybe missed by AVG.
David Bradley said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:34 am
ntl netguard is no longer available since the switch to VirginMedia, they now call it PC Guard. Where did you find it still online Jeff.
As to AVG, independent reports have shown it to be more than adequate, although scanner is perfect. I’ve approved the link you provided but would not recommend Norton AV to anyone on the basis of past experience and the fact that it can trash systems in a similar way to ntl netguard. Kaspersky is meant to be the absolute best AV software.
db
David Bradley said,
May 1, 2008 at 2:47 pm
What kind of experience have you had with ntl netguard and its successor from VirginMedia? Be interested to know.
db