NationStates Jolt Archive

Ive been away from this sort of thing for a while so Ive fallen behind in what firewalls are best, and none of the computer sites agree.

I used to use Black Ice but people have told me in terms of use Norton Internet Security is good.

But what is your favourite firewall and why?

Also, is there any difference between freeware and bought firewalls?

Yes, Freeware ones are free :p

In all honesty I think freeware ones are just as good as bought ones.

Yes, Freeware ones are free :p

In all honesty I think freeware ones are just as good as bought ones.

free is a relative term.
Just because something is usually sold for money doesnt mean it cant be errr, "obtained"

free is a relative term.
Just because something is usually sold for money doesnt mean it cant be errr, "obtained"

Well yes but I still think freeware firewalls are fine. I use zone alarm and its been good for me.

symantec antivirus is very good but it's not freeware.

Well yes but I still think freeware firewalls are fine. I use zone alarm and its been good for me.


Ofcourse it's also true that a firewall is as good as its configuration.
There are firewalls that cost money and with a 'watertight' config still have leaks because of some bug, and free firewalls that might be secure, were it not for some wrong (read 'user convenient') setting.

It all comes down to how you configure your firewall and, if you're running a network, where you put it.
I myself am quite the computer geek, and have learned that firewalls like zone alarm, that learn 'on the fly' usually have holes in it the size of kansas, just because the user clicked 'OK' without reading or understanding the message. When you do that, there is no such thing as a waterproof firewall.

However, for a single computer, a user friendly firewall like zone alarm should do the trick. Just be carefull nót to OK the wrong entry requests.

Ofcourse it's also true that a firewall is as good as its configuration.
There are firewalls that cost money and with a 'watertight' config still have leaks because of some bug, and free firewalls that might be secure, were it not for some wrong (read 'user convenient') setting.

It all comes down to how you configure your firewall and, if you're running a network, where you put it.
I myself am quite the computer geek, and have learned that firewalls like zone alarm, that learn 'on the fly' usually have holes in it the size of kansas, just because the user clicked 'OK' without reading or understanding the message. When you do that, there is no such thing as a waterproof firewall.

However, for a single computer, a user friendly firewall like zone alarm should do the trick. Just be carefull nót to OK the wrong entry requests.


Yeah im careful about the messages. I'm not overly worried though because I'm behind a really nice router. There is no such thing as a waterproof firewall ever, the trick is to be harder to get into than the next guy. As long as its good enough to beat automated programs and no one has a serious grudge it wont be worth anybodys time to break in.

Edit: Well you could call not having an internet connection a waterproof solution but thats not generaly an option these days.

I like BlackIce personally, but I just got my copy wrecked by accident.

symantec antivirus is very good but it's not freeware.the virus DEFINITIONS are, new norton defintions are released for free and are linked on majorgeeks.com

It depends on your needs as with many issues relating to IT.

If you are running a network with a internet connection, or even a stand alone machine (PC/Laptop) you need a firewall.

There are two types of firewall - Software and Hardware.

For running a network you would look at a hardware firewall or at the very least a NAT router. Or you could try running IPv6.

Software wise there are many but the most popular and seemingly best is Zonealarm.

Windows released an update for XP, the Windows Security Center i think it's called, and it comes with a firewall, pop-up killer, etc....and it's free :p

There's another one too, the Windows Anti-spyware, but it's only in it's Beta stage. It's pretty good, very efficient at detecting and killing spyware. And once again, it's free. You should check them out.

Windows released an update for XP, the Windows Security Center i think it's called, and it comes with a firewall, pop-up killer, etc....and it's free :p

There's another one too, the Windows Anti-spyware, but it's only in it's Beta stage. It's pretty good, very efficient at detecting and killing spyware. And once again, it's free. You should check them out.

Are you seriously suggesting a Microsoft security product??

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

I dare you to post that on slashdot!!!!

I use Zonealarm myself, and have never had a sucsessful hacking attempt.

Its free.

I also use AVG 7.0 anti-virus, and although I've picked up a few viruses since switching to XP, nothing happened that AVG, and I couldnt fix.

AVG is free too.

Once again, I also use spy-bot 1.3 for spyware.
Excellent program.

Its free as well..

See the pattern here?

Im also a (nearly) certified computer tech.

I use Zonealarm myself, and have never had a sucsessful hacking attempt.

Its free.

I also use AVG 7.0 anti-virus, and although I've picked up a few viruses since switching to XP, nothing happened that AVG, and I couldnt fix.

AVG is free too.

Once again, I also use spy-bot 1.3 for spyware.
Excellent program.

Its free as well..

See the pattern here?

Im also a (nearly) certified computer tech.


or just certified :)

(you using XP)

or just certified :)

(you using XP)


Nearly a+. Nothing fancy.

As for xp...

Heh. I gave in.

If only the games I like to play had linux versions......

Nearly a+. Nothing fancy.

As for xp...

Heh. I gave in.

If only the games I like to play had linux versions......

Nice one....well done...I remember talking about this with you before....ages and yonks ago...

I know what you mean re linux...

Are you seriously suggesting a Microsoft security product??

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

I dare you to post that on slashdot!!!!
Though I happen to agree I have done extensive testing of the new SP2 firewall… while not as configurable as some of the other 3rd party software ones … it approaches them.

Microsoft’s firewall blocks fine (denying a connection is no big thing) the advantage of one firewall over the other is usually based on other things.

(1) Configurability
(2) User interface
(3) System resource consumption
(4) Reporting features

Microsoft does the blocking fine but lacks in configurability … its user interface is not BAD but not good. It is actually farley good on system resource consumption but horrible at reports (as there are none to really speak of)
I am glad they are throwing it in with SP2 auto on but there are other better firewalls

Personally I prefer Sygate (has AWSOME reporting including things like a whois database and does throughput metering and such) and MASSIVLY configurable (rule sets that go down to network layer) good user interface and great on system resources.

Some of the others I have used and liked blackice … good falls behind sygate in reporting and resources but not by much

And kerio … AWSOME firewall with lots of features but make sure you have a little extra ram (I was running it on a very marginal machine only 128 for win xp pro so…) one of the great features is that it runs as a system process pre windows login. Great on everything else .

I tend to make separate firewalls now using IPtables or a host of other *nix firewalls out there but I wont get into them :)


Basically remember look for all the features and also remember … the firewall is only as good as the person (specially when doing user prompts) you allow something through that was not supposed to get through it is your fault not the firewalls :)

I use Zonealarm myself, and have never had a sucsessful hacking attempt.

Its free.

I also use AVG 7.0 anti-virus, and although I've picked up a few viruses since switching to XP, nothing happened that AVG, and I couldnt fix.

AVG is free too.

Once again, I also use spy-bot 1.3 for spyware.
Excellent program.

Its free as well..

See the pattern here?

Im also a (nearly) certified computer tech.


Sweet I got my a+ my MCSE (server 2003) also have my CCNA :) (though personaly I would just study for the a++ dont bother taking it no one cares about it anyways)

Sweet I got my a+ my MCSE (server 2003) also have my CCNA :) (though personaly I would just study for the a++ dont bother taking it no one cares about it anyways)


Thats kinda the problem Im facing now.
I enjoy fixing and building computers much more than Network admin stuff.
But I have been considering taking the MCSE's and Cisco CCNA.
Im just not sure if I could actually find a decent paying job doing that stuff anymore.

As for the A+, the best it would do, is have me making MAYBE ten bucks an hour fixing systems at a Best Buy.

I make more than that delivering pizzas.

Sigh......

Thats kinda the problem Im facing now.
I enjoy fixing and building computers much more than Network admin stuff.
But I have been considering taking the MCSE's and Cisco CCNA.
Im just not sure if I could actually find a decent paying job doing that stuff anymore.

As for the A+, the best it would do, is have me making MAYBE ten bucks an hour fixing systems at a Best Buy.

I make more than that delivering pizzas.

Sigh......
Yeah know the feeling … I mean there is some useful info in the study material (depressingly little) but paying for the test (it cost like 150 bucks when I took it) was not really worth the money…

I am a networking geek (networking modeling and network security double major) so ;) and I am a network admin … the jobs are out there just kind of tight in the network modeling industry but not in the administration.

Yeah know the feeling … I mean there is some useful info in the study material (depressingly little) but paying for the test (it cost like 150 bucks when I took it) was not really worth the money…

I am a networking geek (networking modeling and network security double major) so ;) and I am a network admin … the jobs are out there just kind of tight in the network modeling industry but not in the administration.


So..I had this dream of going into business building "Uber gaming systems" like Alienware, or Dell XPS's for customers for like half of what Alienware would charge people.

I built by machine for about 600$ and while its no Alienware machine...its more than good enough for me.

So..I had this dream of going into business building "Uber gaming systems" like Alienware, or Dell XPS's for customers for like half of what Alienware would charge people.

I built by machine for about 600$ and while its no Alienware machine...its more than good enough for me.
Yup! I only build now!

(I run my own business on the side for custom computer building /repair) 102 built computers and still counting

And my new personal one beats anything on the market currently

Abit motherboard
Dual amd64 3500+ SE
3 GB of Crucial 3200+
3 120 GB Seagate SATA HDDS (striped raid)
1 200 GB SE Ultra ATA HDD

Got a deal to do harware testing for a site so running dual
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-473&depa=0


;) I built the machine – the graphics cards for 1400 … adding my personal graphics card which is an x800 but non PCI express brings the cost up (got it cheep though for the same hardware reviewing)

Though I happen to agree I have done extensive testing of the new SP2 firewall… while not as configurable as some of the other 3rd party software ones … it approaches them.

Microsoft’s firewall blocks fine (denying a connection is no big thing) the advantage of one firewall over the other is usually based on other things.

(1) Configurability
(2) User interface
(3) System resource consumption
(4) Reporting features

Microsoft does the blocking fine but lacks in configurability … its user interface is not BAD but not good. It is actually farley good on system resource consumption but horrible at reports (as there are none to really speak of)
I am glad they are throwing it in with SP2 auto on but there are other better firewalls

Personally I prefer Sygate (has AWSOME reporting including things like a whois database and does throughput metering and such) and MASSIVLY configurable (rule sets that go down to network layer) good user interface and great on system resources.

Some of the others I have used and liked blackice … good falls behind sygate in reporting and resources but not by much

And kerio … AWSOME firewall with lots of features but make sure you have a little extra ram (I was running it on a very marginal machine only 128 for win xp pro so…) one of the great features is that it runs as a system process pre windows login. Great on everything else .

I tend to make separate firewalls now using IPtables or a host of other *nix firewalls out there but I wont get into them :)


Basically remember look for all the features and also remember … the firewall is only as good as the person (specially when doing user prompts) you allow something through that was not supposed to get through it is your fault not the firewalls :)


:) good post!!

I admit I was sort of taking the piss re MS....but me being an old timer an all....I had to laugh .... don't you know it;)

I admit I am not a XP user. I only work corporate stuff and absolutly disagree with anyone sho says that XP is a usefull upgrade in a corp environment.

Esp with the SP2 release.....I've seen entire departments go tits up thanks to the SP2 rollout...let alone XP on its own.

I use zonealarm pro on my laptop.

On the corp side...its allsorts from Watchguard, Checkpoint, Pix to some of the more esoteric errrr....utilities:)

Not heard of kerio though....will check that out now...thanks!

Work wise...IT Manager/Freelace IT Consultant