21 replies to this topic

[Humpty]

Haven't tried this as yet.Thinking about it though.

Quote:

Small and efficient instead of big and confusing.

If you don’t have a degree in computer science, using a firewall program can be quite frustrating. In addition to all the confusing jargon, current firewalls are getting to be very big programs. Sometimes you have the feeling that you’re installing an entire office suite instead of a basic network tool.

The brand-new Ashampoo FireWall is different. It’s Configuration Assistant guides you through every step of the the simple setup process. And Easy Mode makes using it a breeze – you don’t need any special technical knowledge and everything is explained clearly.

Ashampoo FireWall is also amazingly compact. Even with its four additional security tools it’s a tiny program that uses very little memory and computer resources. You get the heavy-duty protection without heavyweight overload on your system.

Ashampoo firewall

[Humpty]

Gave it a whirl and had a few probs.

I wouldn't recommend it.

Ghosted back to Netveda.

[Eldmannen]

I want a firewall without a graphical user interface.
It should be a small .exe file of only a few kilobytes.
Then it should read a hand-made configuration file and run silently.

Should be very very light-weight, doesn't need to be easy to use, but should be very powerful, should be able to declare exactly what should be let in/out.

I love iptables.

[Andavari]

Eldmannen, on Aug 24 2006, 09:18 AM, said:

I love iptables.

Is it currently only available for Linux?

[JohnDemolition]

yes it is because it interacts with the Linux kernel. a port to windows could be made via Cygwin but i doubt that it would work.

also, i searched google for that and i found this

http://www.hsc.fr/re...r/index.html.en

[Eldmannen]

Andavari, on Aug 24 2006, 06:28 PM, said:

Is it currently only available for Linux?

Yes, it is only available for Linux.

JohnDemolition, on Aug 24 2006, 08:04 PM, said:

yes it is because it interacts with the Linux kernel. a port to windows could be made via Cygwin but i doubt that it would work.

also, i searched google for that and i found this

http://www.hsc.fr/re...r/index.html.en

No, it would not work to port it to Windows using Cygwin because iptables needs the netfilter library in the Linux kernel.

Wow, PktFilter seems amazing!
Really seems like what I have been looking for all this time...
I looked at many firewalls, all seemed like junk, finally one that seems really good!
Only bad is that it haven't had an update in 3 years.

[JohnDemolition]

meh. at least development didn't stop in 2001(since that's when XP was released).

[Andavari]

Eldmannen, on Aug 25 2006, 04:48 AM, said:

Only bad is that it haven't had an update in 3 years.

Looking at the .pdf file from the download like I notice its a Sourceforge.net project, so maybe someone could update it.

[JohnDemolition]

btw: if anyone's interested, here's a review of Ashampoo Firewall.

http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/A...iew-33853.shtml

[Humpty]

Also check out this thread where Stem,the resident firewall expert at Wilders,runs a couple of tests with Ashampoo after I posted my problems with it.

Link

[rridgely]

I just installed this but it didn't last long. I got it off of softpedia without reading that you had to register. So I installed it and then saw the "get free key" or whatever it said when it started up, well I clicked it and of course the dumb thing blocked FF and when I clicked to allow it, it crashed.
I decided not to bother with the rest and just uninstaled it.

I then decided to try jetico and seemed ok. It was only running one process that was using like 6000k. It wasn't that confusing but you just have to remember to put things in the trusted apps catagory and not just allow it access. Other wise every time you search somthing it will pop up with a box asking for permission. I ran it for an hour or two and if I didn't already have netveda I probably would have kept it.

[Andavari]

From the comments of Stem I wouldn't touch the firewall with a barge pole.

rridgely, on Aug 25 2006, 09:54 PM, said:

I then decided to try jetico and seemed ok.

Well with your hardware firewall you probably won't notice Jetico's failings which from what I remember it had some open ports doing online firewall probing tests. Although that was awhile ago that I tested it, and since I don't have a hardware firewall their can't be any open exploitable ports.

[rridgely]

Thats very true, I didn't take my computer off the router and test jetico. So I can't say its a great source of protection. But it didn't crash while installing, or during the time it was running.

Right now I don't have anything installed. I might go ahead and try a few more before reinstalling netveda.(if the ones I try don't beat it. )

[Andavari]

I'm trying out Jetico Personal Firewall now. So far the previous problem of a few open ports is gone from that older version I tested awhile back as it received a TruStealth rating on GRC.com. Also it's only using about 11-12 MB memory, but what's most important is I don't even notice any performance impact. It's not bad!

[rridgely]

During the few hours I ran it, it seemed pretty good to me.
Let us know if any problems arise while using it.

[Andavari]

The only problem I did encounter with Jetico was that it wouldn't remember my setting I'd choose even though I had the box ticked for it to remember my selection. For instance; having to click multiple times to allow an application access such as eTrust EZ Antivirus which has numerous .exe files that need full access in order to even have the resident shield active. After rebooting I'd have to tell it to allow the same apps all over again. Needless to say I uninstalled it, and used a System Restore point to make sure it was gone.

However, while I was using it I did submit a log cleaner for it - so for anyone using Jetico keep checking the winapp2.ini thread when it's eventually added in there.

[res45]

Well I was working on a friends computer that some sopposed Tech. screwed up wasent any sound and crashed all the time for the past few months. Well all thats fixed now so I was looking for free Firewall and Antivirus programs to put on it. Right now I have the computer to test and set up some programs on for a couple of week's Im using Avast free and the new Ashampoo 1.10 firewall I had no problems installing setting up or getting the free code for it. I tested the firewall on several sites for port scans and packet downloads and it pass them all with flying colors only had one closed port and that was on the email and messenger. Anyways the Firewall seem to be doing great no repeats of programs asking for permission and it seem to pick up everything I install so Im going to give it a whirl for a while.

[Andavari]

res45, on Sep 19 2006, 01:36 PM, said:

Anyways the Firewall seem to be doing great no repeats of programs asking for promession and it seem to pick up everything I install so Im goingto give it a whirl fora while.

When it has matured a bit and has a few versions out I'll give it a whirl too. I'm just not to trusting of version 1.0 brand new release of a software firewall, even though the firewall does come from a trusted developer with quality software that I've previously used over the past few years.

[res45]

Reconfigured some of the ports that were suspect ran the online scans again and now Im stelth on all my ports so much so that my net in and out meter want even register any activity. All my programs and services seem to be working normally.

[JAGO]

I use a hardware firewall and only online scanners. No active antivirus, because I can't think of a time when I've ever caught anything (tried eTrust, Nod32, and Kaspersky).