I dont think a modem has anything to do with viruses. Or even if you actually mean a modem. Just make sure you have an up to date good antivirus and it should be ok.

I confirm that no your router or modem should have no issues.  Some antivirus software would be good.  There aren't many free solutions for Mac but you could try:

http://www.clamxav.com/

or just buy one of the main players.

Get an antivirus  - the Mac has no viruses myth is just that a Myth.

They are a lot more prolific on the PC, but I would not have considered a good enought reason to switch away from a Windows based laptop.

Any of us "experts" can clear up a PC and an antivirus like f-secure would have kept it fairly safe - alot cheaper than buying a Macbook.

If you have data on your old PC and you want to get it moved from the old Laptop to your new Mac I would suggest getting one of us in to do the transfer correctly and to make sure you don't carry arcoss any viruses - Although I am not aware aôf any cross platform viruses it would be better to be safe than sorry.

The other thing is maybe to have your router reset to so the open ports it has are secure. If the router has been modified for P2P you may be opening a backdoor for some nastys to your system.

Cheers,

Chris

I know the asker asked about macs, but this goes for all, and is some of the basic things, I might do:

* Make sure my WiFi-router has a long password, such as a sentence

* Check my browser+plugins for holes: https://browsercheck.qualys.com/

* Check for other important updates: Heimdal

* Stealth my router ports, check with GRC ShieldsUp and the router manual

* Have Windows Update or the Mac/Linux equivalent on automatic installation

* Install antivirus with optional antimalware, SpywareBlaster autoupdate

* Install PeerBlock to filter out known bad sites, before I can visit them (also filters ads as an option). From time to time, the user has to manually allow a site, which takes two clicks.

* Not use my work computer to surf from ;)

* Not install programs or codec packs found on P2P.

- or even better; run the browser in a virtual machine, with, say, Ubuntu Linux.

Chris, regular users don't need to and should not open ports manually for P2P or anything else.

The links to www.grc.com and Windows Update were mangled by the link insertion box..

I agree, but after running an IT company in Spain for 7 years dealing with both public and company clients  - never under estimate what people can do to their equipment.

Especially if the person in question has children who decide to open ports because of P2P

Regular users shouldn't - but do - regularly

Hi

Thanks for the info though I was told at apple that the computer already had an antivirus installed?!!

http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/product/MC573Z/A?pqid=Q2UUT4PD7JDCUU4UYJYYUJHF2HXC9D77A

So no they don't have preinstalled antivirus software, and Mac's don't really need it.

Please feel free to ask for questions

:)

This is an age old arguement, but the comment that Mac's don't get viruses is misleading. If you have a windows partition a mac can spread viruses if it doesn't have protection - meaning you infect your contacts.

Plus even without windows it can get nasties like trojans, while these are not really "Viruses" they are unwanted, see here: http://www.macworld.com/article/1163133/new_mac_trojan_horse_disables_apples_automatic_malware_updates.html

that is why I posted the link in my comment. 

 "...you can only get infected if you double-click on a rogue file masquerading as a Flash installer."

The Mac user is the person responsible for these kind of attacks. You have to give permision and install it for it to work. To bad common sence is not common.  :)

Sorry Mr. Jaz,

Yes quite right antivirus won't protect against stupidity

How fast, compared to Windows counterparts, does Apple plug their Safari browser vulnerabilities? ...

and Flash..  ?