I tried PC Tools firewall. Was incompatible with MS Security Essentials. Just looking for something with lower RAM usage than ZA.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Know of any good FREE firewalls besides ZoneAlarm?
- Thread starter Ursae_Majoris
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Is the built-in Windows firewall inadequate for your needs? I've never had any problems with it in several years.
The best option in any case is a hardware firewall. I have a Linksys Wi-Fi router (WRT54GL, running DD-WRT) that provides wireless, wired, and NAT service to my home network (which consists of several Windows desktops and laptops, a Linux desktop, my neighbor's two Macs, his wireless printer, and his iPod Touch). It fends off any undesired inbound connections.
The Windows firewall has been great for when I take my laptop to other places, like the airport. Never had any security problems.
/doesn't really care about firewalling outbound connections
The best option in any case is a hardware firewall. I have a Linksys Wi-Fi router (WRT54GL, running DD-WRT) that provides wireless, wired, and NAT service to my home network (which consists of several Windows desktops and laptops, a Linux desktop, my neighbor's two Macs, his wireless printer, and his iPod Touch). It fends off any undesired inbound connections.
The Windows firewall has been great for when I take my laptop to other places, like the airport. Never had any security problems.
/doesn't really care about firewalling outbound connections
We use MS Security Essentials along with the Windows Firewall and the hardware firewall which is built into our DSL Modem and Wireless Router.
I don't see the need for any other firewall.
If you are using Internet Explorer as a web browser change the security settings to high.
Seems now the trick is to try and get you to install something like the fake security trojan going around.
No firewall - anti-virus, etc., will help if you shoot yourself in the foot!
I don't see the need for any other firewall.
If you are using Internet Explorer as a web browser change the security settings to high.
Seems now the trick is to try and get you to install something like the fake security trojan going around.
No firewall - anti-virus, etc., will help if you shoot yourself in the foot!
I have comodo, haven't had it long and if you don't lower the security settings it will prompt you every time the mouse moves or the system time changes. But if you aren't making a lot of system changes, lower the security level and get it to learn the programs it seems alright.
Comodo was awarded many times as the best FREE firewall, beating out Zone Alarm. It's a bit of a nuisance the first few days/week with all the popups but it does work.
I stopped using software firewalls as I tend to lock my pc's down similar to Fort Knox.
I stopped using software firewalls as I tend to lock my pc's down similar to Fort Knox.
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
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Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
I hope you don't where the tin foil hat and cover up the tv screen at night too. Just kidding...
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
I hope you don't where the tin foil hat and cover up the tv screen at night too. Just kidding...
Originally Posted By: tmorris1
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
I hope you don't where the tin foil hat and cover up the tv screen at night too. Just kidding...
An ounce of prevention....
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
I hope you don't where the tin foil hat and cover up the tv screen at night too. Just kidding...
An ounce of prevention....
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
I have a D-Link WAP with DHCP disabled, MAC filtering enabled, running WPA-2 with a truly random (type in with my eyes closed) 32 character mixed alphanumerical upper-lower case password, which is changed periodically.
I just like having a firewall for the outbound connections, and Win XP does not have it.
Call me cautious.
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
Originally Posted By: benjamming
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
If he types like I do it's random.
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
If he types like I do it's random.
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Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: benjamming
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
If he types like I do it's random.
Exactly, I am a sight typist.
Originally Posted By: benjamming
How does having your eyes closed make it any more random? I know the location of my fingers & the layout of the keyboard.
If he types like I do it's random.
Exactly, I am a sight typist.
You have a hardware firewall and you want one on the PC still?
Cautious is not the right word.... Perhaps paranoid?
I don't even bother, 3 computers on my network. No issues.
Cautious is not the right word.... Perhaps paranoid?
I don't even bother, 3 computers on my network. No issues.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
If you are that hardcore, don't bother with the junk software firewalls (which are a joke) and get a REAL router, like something from Cisco, and get a subscription to their IPS service.
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
I find that running NoScript on top of Firefox is more useful than egress filtering on a software firewall. NoScript stops all unknown scripts from running in your browser.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
If you are that hardcore, don't bother with the junk software firewalls (which are a joke) and get a REAL router, like something from Cisco, and get a subscription to their IPS service.
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
Not practical for a home user. Our new Cisco ASR1002 router cost $31K, and our ASA's with the IPS module cost $22K each, we have two in a failover config.
If you are that hardcore, don't bother with the junk software firewalls (which are a joke) and get a REAL router, like something from Cisco, and get a subscription to their IPS service.
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
Not practical for a home user. Our new Cisco ASR1002 router cost $31K, and our ASA's with the IPS module cost $22K each, we have two in a failover config.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
If you are that hardcore, don't bother with the junk software firewalls (which are a joke) and get a REAL router, like something from Cisco, and get a subscription to their IPS service.
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
Not practical for a home user. Our new Cisco ASR1002 router cost $31K, and our ASA's with the IPS module cost $22K each, we have two in a failover config.
My 1841 cost no where near that and has IPS, NAC, and ACL's.
Cisco makes plenty of very capable devices that aren't anywhere near 30,000 dollars.
Citing a Gig-E enterprise router with triple SPA's as an example of a device that fits the bill is like citing a McLaren F1 as a vehicle with tires.
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
If you are that hardcore, don't bother with the junk software firewalls (which are a joke) and get a REAL router, like something from Cisco, and get a subscription to their IPS service.
NAC, IPS, and ACL's should give you enough control to feel like God
Not practical for a home user. Our new Cisco ASR1002 router cost $31K, and our ASA's with the IPS module cost $22K each, we have two in a failover config.
My 1841 cost no where near that and has IPS, NAC, and ACL's.
Cisco makes plenty of very capable devices that aren't anywhere near 30,000 dollars.
Citing a Gig-E enterprise router with triple SPA's as an example of a device that fits the bill is like citing a McLaren F1 as a vehicle with tires.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Cisco's 800-series stuff would be overkill for this application, but still provide everything I mentioned:
https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps380/data_sheet_c78_459542.html
And can be had for under $1,000.
https://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps380/data_sheet_c78_459542.html
And can be had for under $1,000.
Originally Posted By: Brons2
I find that running NoScript on top of Firefox is more useful than egress filtering on a software firewall. NoScript stops all unknown scripts from running in your browser.
Threats are not the exclusive domain of internet traffic and web browsers. Hackers' bots, statistically, are probably conducting a port scan on your system right now; turning door knobs and tugging on windows to see if any ports are responding to pings.
By default, most Linux and BSD systems leave most ports off in a standard installation, but Windows is a little more vulnerable. I remember trying to set up a Windows 2000 system several years ago. I left the ethernet cable plugged in while setting it up, and the system has been intruded upon before I had a chance to go download and install a firewall! This happened two or three times before I decided to download firewall and a/v software, burn it to a CD, *unplug the darn cable* and do it again.
When I stay in hotels, I often break into other systems that are on the hotel's wifi network and leave text files on their desktops explaining how to secure their systems. Many users use their computers as the "Administrator" user with no password. There are lots of ways into a Windows system! (Note: I do not have any experience with Vista or 7; I am only trying to relate experiences that illustrate that web browsing is not the only way to leave yourself vulnerable to malicious activity.)
I find that running NoScript on top of Firefox is more useful than egress filtering on a software firewall. NoScript stops all unknown scripts from running in your browser.
Threats are not the exclusive domain of internet traffic and web browsers. Hackers' bots, statistically, are probably conducting a port scan on your system right now; turning door knobs and tugging on windows to see if any ports are responding to pings.
By default, most Linux and BSD systems leave most ports off in a standard installation, but Windows is a little more vulnerable. I remember trying to set up a Windows 2000 system several years ago. I left the ethernet cable plugged in while setting it up, and the system has been intruded upon before I had a chance to go download and install a firewall! This happened two or three times before I decided to download firewall and a/v software, burn it to a CD, *unplug the darn cable* and do it again.
When I stay in hotels, I often break into other systems that are on the hotel's wifi network and leave text files on their desktops explaining how to secure their systems. Many users use their computers as the "Administrator" user with no password. There are lots of ways into a Windows system! (Note: I do not have any experience with Vista or 7; I am only trying to relate experiences that illustrate that web browsing is not the only way to leave yourself vulnerable to malicious activity.)
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