Software Firewall issues with GigaNICs!!!

[mannydib]

Ive been going ape$h!t with this one.

After some bsods with the nvidia firewall and reading all the problems people are having i decided to use the zone alarm freebie.
With zone alarm, my system hangs on login when it is "loading my settings". the only way to get into windows was to disable both network interfaces on the mobo (asus a8n sli delux).

I disabled the onboard network interfaces, added an SMC nic and got the same results with the nic.

Frustrated, downloaded Sygate and tried it with the SMC nic.
The taskbar icon for the network connection reported something to the effect that it was not working properly and sure enought it wasnt.
I tried setting Sygate to allow all traffic, still didnt work.
I tried shutting down Sygate, still didnt work.
I uninstalled Sygate and the nic works.
Still havent tried it with the onboard network interfaces.

Am I missing something?
Do these firewalls have issues with giganics with the frame size set to the max size?
I havent found anything on the net about it.

 

[OmegaXero]

It very well could be that software firewalls don't like higher MTU's for gigabit NICs. Does the windows firewall work?

 

[mannydib]

yes, the Windows firewall seemed to work .
I didnt do any extensive testing, just browsed the web and did some file sharing and remote desktop to another pc on the lan.

the Windows firewall doesnt seem to offer program notification. im tending towards the idea of just using port scanning software now and then. im sitting behind a linksys router and a scan showed no ports open. i really would like to figure this out though.

 

[Jon855]

Simple suggestion, don;t mix NAT and SW Firewall for home use, it's not worth the hassle.

 

[OmegaXero]

Manny, you're right, the windows firewall doesn't have the built in program notification that many other firewalls offer. However, I still find that keeping tabs on your virus protection and making sure you have a good arsenal of spyware software is better than most software based firewalls. Or, look at it this way, by the time the firewall tells you of an unauthorized outbound request you already have a problem. The preventive solution is to make sure your system is clean by keeping all your antivirus/antispyware software up to date and running scans regularly.

You're already behind the firewall that your router offers, so at least you can rest assured that any malicious incoming traffic will be stopped, especially port scans.

 

[mannydib]

Zone Alarm worked with the frame size set to standard.
I also had problems transfering files with non-standard frame sizes.
I was able to bring up an explorer window to the other computer but when i initiated the file transfer it hung and once i even got a bsod.