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Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

wilf21
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎11-10-2007

Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

Hi,
I currently use Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 on my main laptop PC, and the free products Microsoft Security Essentials on another laptop and Panda Cloud Antivirus on a netbook.  I've never used McAfee before but am thinking of installing Plusnet Protect across the machines instead of what I've currently got.  Any views on whether I should install Plusnet Protect - have people found it to be good/bad/indifferent?
Your views would be very welcome.  TIA.
Wilf
7 REPLIES 7
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

I personally found it very 'mixed'.  Works great on a decent desktop system (W7 64 bit 1st Generation Core i7), really slows down my netbook (Win XP, Intel Atom) and on my main laptop (W7 32bit, Core 2duo) I had to reinstall several times as it would stop updating or keep switching off 'Autoprotect' - of course this could be due to other issues.
I find MSE absolutely fine on the netbook.
If you have 'Extra' and the PN Protect is therefore free then I'd say give it a go (but probably not on a netbook).
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
wilf21
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎11-10-2007

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

THanks.  Just tried to download (via Firefox 12.0.  I get this message:
"Browser Requirements
Please note that Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 (or higher) or Firefox 1.5 (or higher) or Chrome is required to purchase and install McAfee products.
To continue, please return to the previous page using Internet Explorer or Firefox or Chrome.
"
If it can't tell I'm using a version of FF rather higher than 1.5 it doesn't give me a great deal of confidence.  This is the browser I normally use.  What does it want me to do????
wilf21
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎11-10-2007

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

Sorry for replying to my own post.
Have installed PN Protect by downloading it using Chrome.  It installed fine and the Firefox add-ons installed ok. 
So far no problems and does not seem to be using any more machine resources than other solutions I have used (Kaspersky IS, MMSE, Panda Cloud AV).  Of course, I have no idea how McAfee stacks up against the other Internet Security/AV solutions I have been using.  Any views on that, I wonder?
Roberto0151
Grafter
Posts: 241
Registered: ‎18-05-2010

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

This may not apply to PN Protect but I was very unhappy with McAfee. It came with my first (and so far only) computer about six years ago and I kept it for about three years.
Updating was a pain in the wotsit, it was constantly telling me there was a problem and I had to press this, that or the other to clear it up and , worst of all, it often instructed me to go into "my account" and confirm that my subscription was up to date. A lot of hassle for a computer newbie.
Eventually I went for one of the free AV's and am now happily using MSE.
Of course my earlier problems might not be applicable with later versions of McAfee and going via Plusnet might well make life easier, so don't let me put you off if you like the look of it.  Wink
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

This is why I won't touch it http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews/dynamic-tests
As a point of interest KIS 3 user one year is £15.78 from Amazon - a small price to pay for one of the leading products
wilf21
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎11-10-2007

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

Thank you Roberto, Oldjim and walker.   I have looked at recent reviews  of McAfee compared with other AV offerings and it just doesn't seem to measure up to those.  I, too, have purchased KIS from Amazon in the past couple of years at low prices and have decided I will continue to do so.   PN Protect also did at some points seem to be hogging resources to some extent.  I have now removed it and restored KIS on this PC and MSSE on the other.   I would run KIS on the other machine but my wife tends to use that one and doesn't particularly like the occasional alert she gets from it!   KIS on the netbook was previously a cause of slowdown and I run Panda cloud AV on that one ... it seems to have very little impact on that machine.
dundialin
Dabbler
Posts: 10
Registered: ‎12-08-2007

Re: Plusnet Protect - worth installing?

I have been using PlusNet Protect/McAfee Security Centre v11 since last year and not had any major trouble with the software & no virus or malware attacks ... that I know of.
But I got the same message when I tried downloading a new version with Firefox 11 & reported it to PlusNet in March/April 2012.  Now I'm doing another installation with Firefox 13 and got the same message.  So PlusNet have failed to get McAfee to do anything about updating their software to recognise a legitimate browser.  I hope they're little better at identifying illegitimate software - it's not exactly confidence inspiring & I wonder how much PN is paying them.
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll have a look at KIS for the new system.