Ok, i think it's a good time to discuss about personall firewalls a little.

As all of you have a connection to the internet (am i right? ), it's needed to protect a computer and use any firewall to defend against hackers, script kiddies, internet worms, attacks of various viruses and other types of malware and parasytes. Or even to hide your computer in local area network and make it not accessible for neighbours.

So, which firewall are you using? My first firewall was Zone Alarm Pro (read an article in the magazine, downloaded and installed it to protect my PC), it was good enough, but after some time installed Sygate Personall Firewall Pro and didn't want to change it. Using Sygate Firewall till now due to big flexibility, low CPU usage and a good protection.

Using Sygate Personall Firewall Pro too.

This firewall works fine on my PC (using Windows XP Service Pack 1), as it's possible to forget about this program after installing - it runs in background and protects a computer from attacks, doesn't interrupt user with annoying pop-ups and other types of messages. Sygate Firewall just asks whenever i want to allow (or not to allow) any program to access the internet.

But hey should think about updating this software, as version 5.5 wasn't updated a lot of time.

No one uses Kerio Personal Firewall here?

You should give a try for this software. App has a great user interface (the best and most colourful i have seen in any firewall), but it can be a little too difficult for beginners.

I don't trust software firewalls (prefer hardware),
but ofcourse software firewall is beter then no firewall at all

I am not a richest man in the world to have hardware firewall protecting my computers at home Of course, it's possible to use hardware router (which is cheap), but i don't like these type of devices. So i need to trust in Sygate Personal Firewall Pro (other computer has Zone Alarm Pro installed, but as it connects through my main PC and has full access just to local area network and all other ports are closed, firewall isn't very needed there).

By the way, do you use hardware based firewall for home PC? Or just at the work?

Hardware firewalls are ok (no, it's an excellent choice) for big computer networks or for companies, which care about IT security and want to protect their users systems from hackers attacks, new types of viruses and malicious codes. But hardware based firewalls are more expensive than software firewalls (such as Zone Alarm, Zone Alarm Pro, Sygate Personal Firewall Pro, Kerio Personal Firewall, Tiny Personal Firewall and a lot of other security products for home users...) and not all the people can buy these things. Of course, it doesn't require maintenance almost, but look for real - would you buy hardware firewall for home PC? I don't think so.

I'm still using Tiny Personal Firewall, but thinking about migrating to Sygate Personal Firewall Pro. Is it better? What advantages versus other software firewalls?

Using ZoneAlarm Pro (now version:5.5.062.004) without any problems..



Picked up a huge troyan Welchia.Worm just few seconds after installation of modem at very first time, 'cause the firewall wasn't installed yet...

I saw this old topic when was searching for firewalls on Google

What can you say about McAffee Firewall Plus? It looks nice and powerful in screenshots, but I know nothing more about this firewall.

iptables!!!

when I used windows, I used kerio/sygate (not at the same time ofc) and both seemed to work decently.

I currently filter packets at the kernel level with IPtables, a packet filter built into the linux kernel, implemented right with the networking code. It can be a bear to configure, but you can block anything you want.

A good firewall is not as important on an *ix system as, by default, it does not listen on any ports unless a daemon has asked the kernel to. In other words, everything is stealthed until a program oepns one up.

It is actually most secure to run a openBSD box with multiple network cards to filter packets and run any server-like deamons (like a SMTP or HTTP server) and have your main box connect through it. This is kinda like a hardware firewall that you can personally configure, and you can have a very secure setup.

Not all users aare so experienced to use firewalls like elebrin wrote. Thta's why easy to use software firewalls are so popular. It requires not much experience at all and make your computer secure enough.

Zerg, I was reading some reviews about McAfee Personal Firewall Plus, it's secure and reliable product.

Ok, thanks, I'll try McAfee Firewall Plus this weekend, after Windows XP reinstall

I get the pleasure of reinstalling this weekend too... my xorg.conf got screwed up (its the file that loads your video card drivers and tells the video card what hardware you have and how you want it set up). I want to reinstall anyway, though, because I want to try fvwm instead of gnome.

I might go back to a dual boot, I havent decided yet. The lan party is coming up and I don't want to emulate everything for that...

Using ZoneAlarm Pro firewall and I'm happy with it. Fast and easy to use

Yes I agree I am running ZoneAlarm's entire Internet security suite on my computer and am extremely happy with it. I just use nor an Internet security suite but found that it was an automated enough and asked for your personal permission every time it want to make a decision. I like ZoneAlarm because everything is automated and I don't need to keep telling you what to do all the time. Although Windows one personal firewall is extremely good in itself. (The one built into Windows XP service pack 2)

Yes, Zone Alarm was the most popular firewall in its time, but then new software were developed and promoted very well, like Sygate Personal Firewall, Tiny Firewall and some others

I am not a fan of software firewalls, using a router myself, I find it easier to configure (remotely as well)...

But I have seen Zone Alarm and it does not seem to bad for a software based firewall…

I have winxp SP2 and use the firewall which is there with it.

Before installing Sp2, I could not use my pc at all. Every time I used to format and connect to the internet, it would have been infected within some hours and back to old state.

This time I downloaded SP2 and must say there is a GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

BTW, I don't think you can install any other firewall on SP2. It doesn't allow you to.

I also have been using the Windows Firewall w/ SP2 and have had no problems. I actually prefer it over the Norton product.

Hi rakshakr!

Actually you can install any other firewall on Windows XP Service Pack 2. As you may know, other firewalls (Sygate Personal Firewall Pro for example) are much more powerwull than default Windows firewall and have more options to configure.

Let me know if you have any problems installing other firewall on Windows XP SP2, I'll be glad to help

Im using zone alarm it very good no virus since i installed it