Firewall software recommendation

[Icepick]

Please recommend a firewall program for my home PC. I'm currently running ZoneAlarm and would like to try something else instead. The only requisite I have is that it be free.

Edit: I'm running Windows XP Pro SP2.

Thanks!

 

[SunnyD]

Comodo Personal Firewall. Only annoyance, if it updates it seems to forget your custom block list.

 

[beyonddc]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
Comodo Personal Firewall.

 

[Schadenfroh]

See my sig

 

[irishScott]

Comodo FTW!

 

[John]

A cable/dsl router should be more than adequate for incoming traffic. When it comes to software firewalls, the outgoing prompts can become extremely annoying. In some cases you don't even know what you are allowing. In my experience the firewall in Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 is stellar. I never get any prompts regarding inbound or outbound packets. In the recent leak tests it's is also highly regarded.

http://www.matousec.com/projects/window...ak-tests-results.php#firewalls-ratings

 

[Icepick]

Originally posted by: John
A cable/dsl router should be more than adequate for incoming traffic. When it comes to software firewalls, the outgoing prompts can become extremely annoying. In some cases you don't even know what you are allowing. In my experience the firewall in Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0 is stellar. I never get any prompts regarding inbound or outbound packets. In the recent leak tests it's is also highly regarded.

http://www.matousec.com/projects/window...ak-tests-results.php#firewalls-ratings

The ZoneAlarm Free version that I've been using is rated "Very Poor"! Comodo was rated "Excellent". Since Comodo's free and received excellent ratings both from Matuousec and from you guys that's the one I'm going to go with. Seems to be a no-brainer to me.

Thanks for your input everyone!

 

[Lemon law]

Comodo also has a support forum if anyone has problems. But installation is now a snap even if you are running a network.

 

[John]

Comodo has a lot of nag screens that require user interaction which gets annoying.

 

[Bucksnort]

Comodo, and to the previous poster, you obviously have not used a quality firewall before and or you have no knowlege of settings lol

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Bucksnort
Comodo, and to the previous poster, you obviously have not used a quality firewall before and or you have no knowlege of settings lol

Yea, I am totally clueless when it comes to firewalls. :roll:

 

[Rottie]

I refuse to believe ZA is "very poor" it is been great with new version 7.0 seem getting better now. I use ZA Pro 7.0 now

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: John
Comodo has a lot of nag screens that require user interaction which gets annoying.

I've never considered 'nag screens' that allow users to make internet access rules to be annoying. I want to decide what can and can not access the internet, not my firewall's default settings.

 

[Miramonti]

I use Kerio 4.22, which is not only an outstanding firewall and very configurable, it also controls (if you want it to) which programs you will allow to start, which provides a tremendous amount of control preventing the silent running of devious or simply undesired apps.

 

[Ryland]

I use Comodo on my laptop for when I travel and haven't had any problems with it.

 

[mad0maxx]

I used Comodo Personal Firewall in conjunction with Active Virus Sheild. I also have a service for work from Entrasys Netsight Console and randomly blocks and I mean big blocks of my screen disappear and when I uninstalled Comodo Firewall the problem all stopped and it started after I installed Comodo Firewall...

On my home computer I also use ZoneAlarm Pro...

 

[imported_importpsycho]

i vote for ZA but I can not get ZA to run on my system
it installs fine but simply refuses to load
I'll try Comodo

 

[plastick]

i dont even have a firewall except for the one that comes built in with WXP... I was using Sygate Personal Firewall, which was really nice, but I got tired of installing it, and now I am used to not having it. I never get viruses....

 

[Lemon law]

The windows sp2 firewall is not all that bad of a firewall---nor is it all that good of a firewall because it only filter incoming---and lacks configuration options. But in terms of never getting viruses---they may be minimal with safe surfing---but a firewall is a security layer its not safe to ignore---and if nothing else---a firewall will protect you from drive by downloads.

But the weakness of all firewalls is the fact that if you tell your firewall that you want that piece of eye or ear candy, the firewall will roll out the red carpet.

 

[sourceninja]

XP firewall + a ipcop router, works for me

 

[Lemon law]

I have been doing a slow burn ever since I saw a post on this thread accusing John of not knowing what he is doing regarding firewalls. For those who do not much about John, he is an elite member, he does work full time in the malware removal field, and has written---out of the goodness of his heart, a very fine malware removal guide. I may pride myself on knowing a thing or two about computer security, I had a pretty good layered defense set up on my PC long before I ever knew John existed, and I know the depth Of John's knowledge is not to be ignored and greatly exceeds my own. And Anand tech is very fortunate to have John and a few other experts I could also name on this forum. But please also take a bow schadenfroh and mechBgon.

I am very grateful for the help and advice I have received from those three. And I hope this little rant will get some other people who have likewise been helped to express their gratitude.

 

[Icepick]

Originally posted by: Rottie
I refuse to believe ZA is "very poor" it is been great with new version 7.0 seem getting better now. I use ZA Pro 7.0 now

The version that received the "very poor" rating is the free version. The Pro version that you have is actually rated "very good". Then again, you have to pay for it.

 

[Rottie]

Originally posted by: Icepick

Originally posted by: Rottie
I refuse to believe ZA is "very poor" it is been great with new version 7.0 seem getting better now. I use ZA Pro 7.0 now

The version that received the "very poor" rating is the free version. The Pro version that you have is actually rated "very good". Then again, you have to pay for it.

yes I have a paid ZA Pro 7.