Recommendation: Best internet tools!

Hi People.

Just got a new PC and would like to know what are the best internet tools, I got a P4 2.8GHz Last week as a gift from my ex-girlfriend which was quiet a surprise, and today I finally got my 1500/256 ADSL connection (Using a speedtouch 530 modem) and would like to know what tools for a fresh windows XP Pro install you recommend for my Internet sessions?

AKA:

Download Manager:
FTP Agent:
Web Browser: Currently IE XPSP1a
Chat Client: Currently Trillian Pro 2.0 (Using ICQ & MSN)
Bandwidth Monitor/Graph: *I saw a pic of someones desktop and they had a graph showing in their taskbar?*
Ad-Blocker:
Virus Checker: Currently Norton Anti-virus 2004
Internet Security:
P2P Sharing Software: Currently eMule v0.42g
Etc
Etc

I am very interested in your recommendations.

Kindest Regards,

David Giles
msn: exoxe2k4@hotmail.com

 

for the security on my machine i have loaded on my pc

spyware......ad aware 6 & spybot search and destroy "just to make sure"
anti virus .....(mcafee v7 free with work) & stinger
firewall ........zone alarm & mcafee visualtrace
most tools for these purposes are free and just as good as norton/etc etc so when it runs out
try AVG and anti vir both have good reviews

best of luck
simonk

 

Download Manager: Net Transport (Can handle streaming data like asx,mms)
FTP Agent: SmartFTP
Web Browser: Firefox (Has popup blocker)
E-Mail Client: Outlook Express
News Reader: Outlook Express
Chat Client: Trillian
Bandwidth Monitor/Graph: NetMeter (Almost identical to DU Meter)
Ad/Spyware-Blocker: none
Virus Checker: Avast!
Internet Security: Kerio 2.15
P2P Sharing Software: Emule

Btw. all linked software is free for home use.

 

Hey Guys,


Thanks for the recommendations, I am downloading the free versions of all the recommended software now to check out, I will let you know my choices for each criteria,

Thanks again

David Giles