What "Personal" Firewall do YOU recommend?

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Which Personal Firewall?

ZoneAlarm Free
5
23%
Comodo
8
36%
Kerio
2
9%
Online Armor Personal Firewall
1
5%
XP Built-in Firewall
6
27%
 
Total votes: 22

testing123
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What "Personal" Firewall do YOU recommend?

Post by testing123 »

What Free Personal Firewall (i.e., "Software" Firewall) do you recommend?

We hear of ZoneAlarm all the time.
Within this Forum I have seen reference to Comodo and Kerio

Which one have you used/liked (incl version #) with the MJ??? Thanks

(Yes, there are lists here: http://www.firewallleaktester.com/tests.php and http://www.matousec.com/projects/window ... sult-table . But, I want to hear from anyone who has actually used the products)

I am familiar w/ ZoneAlarm and have just started to play w/ Comodo.

Looking for Ability to Run as a Service (i.e. don't need to Login); Performance; Outbound Notification/Blocking; and Small Memory Footprint.
Last edited by testing123 on Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:53 am, edited 10 times in total.
kumar
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Re: What "Personal" Firewall do YOU recommend?

Post by kumar »

testing123 wrote:What Free Personal Firewall (i.e., "Software" Firewall) do you recommend?

We hear of ZoneAlarm all the time.
Within this Forum I have seen reference to Comodo and Kerio

Which one have you used/liked (incl version #) with the MJ??? Thanks
Why don't you use linux and not have to worry about anything? On my Windows Dual boot I just use the standard windows firewall since I never really use windows. But some people hate Linux, don't know why.
Kumar
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testing123
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Re: What "Personal" Firewall do YOU recommend?

Post by testing123 »

kumar wrote:
testing123 wrote:What Free Personal Firewall (i.e., "Software" Firewall) do you recommend?

We hear of ZoneAlarm all the time.
Within this Forum I have seen reference to Comodo and Kerio

Which one have you used/liked (incl version #) with the MJ??? Thanks
Why don't you use linux and not have to worry about anything? On my Windows Dual boot I just use the standard windows firewall since I never really use windows. But some people hate Linux, don't know why.
Kumar
Kumar, dude, if you have read ANY of my posts ... you will know that I have become a Linux (+ VMware + FreeBSD) ZEALOT ... I run multiple distros on various hardware for various purposes.

I am asking this question about Windoze because I want to know the answer.

There is a method to my madness.
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Post by kumar »

Sorry man...chilax...
Kumar
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testing123
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Post by testing123 »

kumar wrote:Sorry man...chilax...
Kumar
No problem ... every so often you HAVE to run that "other" OS ...

Even on the damn cell phone LOL
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Post by kumar »

Haha yes, many people use an ipod with Linux, but i prefer it with iTunes for some reason. But thats the only reason I use windows
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Post by testing123 »

kumar wrote:Haha yes, many people use an ipod with Linux, but i prefer it with iTunes for some reason. But thats the only reason I use windows
Kumar
Wish there were some Linux hacks for some of the Windoze Mobile phones! Would eat that up like DD-WRT for the routers.

They're even putting Windoze in Cars now ... geez.
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Post by testing123 »

What's up, I know you Windoze-lovers use Personal Firewalls; I have made this into a Poll.

Don't act like you don't see this post :lol:
(Hmm, I guess that's a double-negative that conveys the proper meaning :shock: )
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Post by mphixson »

what 'free' personal firewall do I use? to me free is 'free after rebate'.

so I use OneCare on Vista Ultimate 32 and on Vista Business 32.
I use Panda Internet Security 2008 on XP Pro 64, but turn off their firewall and use the built in XP 64 firewall.
On XP Pro 32 Desktop I use Panda Internet Security 2007,
On the XP Pro 32 laptop I use system mechanic 2007's firewall
On the XP home laptop my wife uses McAfee Internet Security 2006's firewall.

None are listed in your choices. But I suppose our idea's of free are two different things.
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Post by testing123 »

mphixson wrote:what 'free' personal firewall do I use? to me free is 'free after rebate'.

so I use OneCare on Vista Ultimate 32 and on Vista Business 32.
I use Panda Internet Security 2008 on XP Pro 64, but turn off their firewall and use the built in XP 64 firewall.
On XP Pro 32 Desktop I use Panda Internet Security 2007,
On the XP Pro 32 laptop I use system mechanic 2007's firewall
On the XP home laptop my wife uses McAfee Internet Security 2006's firewall.

None are listed in your choices. But I suppose our idea's of free are two different things.
Ha ha, damn. There is not one that could suffice or that you liked enough???

And Free for me in this case means "no cost" at all; no up front cost.

PS, I believe you can add any choice to the Poll as well.
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Post by SpamBox »

This link might help decide.

I like OutPost the best.
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Post by testing123 »

SpamBox wrote:This link might help decide.

I like OutPost the best.
Thanks, I posted that link in the OP.

Aside from protection, what features do you like about it?
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SpamBox
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Post by SpamBox »

testing123 wrote: Thanks, I posted that link in the OP.

Aside from protection, what features do you like about it?
Sorry missed the link.

Anyway, it's easy to use, does it's job, not too much of a resource hog.
For someone who doesn't know jack about firewalls or computers I would recommend "Online Armor" .
I liked it a lot but it interferred with my torrents, and I couldn't get the settings right so it wouldn't.
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Post by dbarber »

I use ZoneAlarm Free because that is the simplest firewall for my clients to use. I use what I recommend whenever possible. ZAF is simple to install, simple to configure, and doesn't use up TOO many resources.
I have been messing with firewalls since I first used AtGuard on my dialup line a dozen years ago.


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Post by testing123 »

@SpamBox, @dbarber: Thanks, appreciate the feedback.
SpamBox wrote:...
Sorry missed the link.

Anyway, it's easy to use, does it's job, not too much of a resource hog.
For someone who doesn't know jack about firewalls or computers I would recommend "Online Armor" .
I liked it a lot but it interferred with my torrents, and I couldn't get the settings right so it wouldn't.
dbarber wrote:I use ZoneAlarm Free because that is the simplest firewall for my clients to use. I use what I recommend whenever possible. ZAF is simple to install, simple to configure, and doesn't use up TOO many resources.
I have been messing with firewalls since I first used AtGuard on my dialup line a dozen years ago.
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Post by kumar »

I use stock since it doesn't really matter if you do not use windows much like me....But seriously what is the chance of someone hacking in....also i reformat a lot so doesn't apply for me....BUT on my other dell with only windows (don't ask) i use zonealarm. I still do not think it matters what firewall that we use....Can someone explain? I have not had trouble with my stock firewall ever.
Thanks
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Post by testing123 »

Well after playing with Comodo for a little while now .... it has replaced ZoneAlarm Free for me.

Comodo (for me):
1) Is more Stable (example: resuming from Hibernation or running as a Service w/o Login or maintaining ARP Tables correctly)
2) Performs Faster
3) Uses Less Memory
4) Has more finite control over Firewall/Packets (like a "true" hardware firewall)
5) Minus: Can be WAY more complicated IF you use Expert settings (otherwise using Defaults it is as easy as ZoneAlarm)
6) Minus: Comodo 3.0 does not run on Win2k Pro if (you have to use previous version 2.4)

YMMV, but again, I only compared against ZoneAlarm Free -- both are Free so you can't go wrong. ZoneAlarm is still a great product

BTW, I had mistakenly thought that ZoneAlarm was using LESS memory than Comodo until I remembered that ZoneAlarm mem usage is broken up into numerous processes running on your PC:

ZoneAlarm = zlclient.exe + vsmon.exe (approx 14+MB in some tests I did)
Comodo = cfp.exe (approx 3.5MB)

Again, no affiliation with either Product.
Last edited by testing123 on Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Xen1969 »

Don't know how I missed this thread in the past.

XP built-in firewall at the moment. I've used ZoneAlarm Pro in the past.
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Post by Tourist »

I also missed this section!

I know I'm going to be shot down for this but I use Sunbelt on all my systems. 1 xp desktop, 1 xp laptop and 1 xp mce laptop.
Only problems I have ever had was a USB lockup (until I specified drive letters for MJ) and testing fax using internal modem to MJ on same machine (yes I laughed as well). Otherwise my MJs work great both for speech and fax.

:D
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Post by dukeomaha »

Kerio 2.1.5 (the last free version). It's very light on system resources. Newer versions are no good - just bloatware. Working flawlessly with MJ and all my other needs.

I used to like Outpost firewall but got tired of having to renew the license.
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Post by mufon »

I like the Tellabs ONT612 boot loader. I don't think it's much of a packet filter, but damn that bandwidth is insane!
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Post by DCSholtis »

None of the Above. I use the Mac built-in firewall.
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