Before getting all too excited to use that security suite you’ve just bought, be sure to read the following reminders to get the proper information that will help you maximize the full potential of your suite:

• Do not use two firewalls or two anti-virus products at the same time. You should uninstall one of them first before installing the other.

• When installing a security suite, update the program immediately through the vendor’s website. Turn on the auto update feature of the program if it has one so that you can be assured that your security suite is always updated on the latest threats.

• Be sure to test your firewall after installing it using an online service like Security Space in order to determine if it has been configured properly.

• Try considering using an Internet service provider or email service that has server side anti-virus and spam email filtering as its second layer of defense against threats.