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What type of Firewall do you use?


MrG

What type of Firewall do you use?  

207 members have voted

  1. 1. What type of Firewall do you use?

    • Hardware
      15
    • Software
      119
    • Both Hardware and Software
      68
    • None
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    • What's a Firewall?
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I tried using PC Tools Firewall Plus, but for some reason I couldn't shutdown my PC. The task wouldn't end and then lock up. So, I am using Comodo Firewall Pro, it's really good. A bit of a resource hog, but it works good.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Computer Associates, which is actually ZoneAlarm. Works well, is as interactive as you want it to be. But. . .if the cost keeps going up I will go to Comodo.

 

Someone mentioned Jetico, it looks like it might be OK??

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

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Well, fooey. Glad you posted that. I resubscribed to CA in late 2006, didn't know they had reorganized. Now must get back on the hunt for a good FW and AV. This forum is very helpful for that. Very knowledgable participants, would be a good idea to follow their advice.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Well, I dropped COMODO, and CA. I'm now using PC Tools Firewall Plus and AntiVir Prem. Everything is working perfectly now. PC shuts down now with the firewall running. COMODO was using around 31MB of resources, now my resources are down a whole lot. I'm happy now. :)

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Someone mentioned Jetico, it looks like it might be OK??

Jetico is an excellent firewall! It can be a little intimidating to n00bs, but it only takes a short while to get used to it. The offical support forums on Smokey's have several very knowledgeable people who can answer any question you'd possibly have. It is BY FAR the lightest-weight firewall I've ever used...uses VERY little memory/system resources!

Dell Latitude D600

Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit SP1

 

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I was wondering whether if anyone had used GhostWall FireWall and if they had whether if it was any good or just plain crap http://www.ghostsecurity.com/index.php?page=appdefend

 

I use Norton internet security 2005 and i find that it does the job fine for me. On my second computer i have used Comodo, ZoneAlarm and PCtools firewall (not at the same time though :D ). I found that Comodo was good for giving the user enough information as to decide whether if it is an illegitimate program that is trying to access the internet and it also passed all of the tests on Shields Up website (http://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?rh1dkyd2) although some user may find it confusing to use and as it has been stated before it does not un-install well as windows security centre still seems to think that i have it on the system.

With PCTools firewall i liked the GUI and it is an easy firewall to use compared to Comodo and of course as everyone harps on about, it is light on resources. however i un-install it only after about two hours of use as i didn't like it that much and it also failed the shields Up test, which prompted me to visit the PcTools forum to see if anyone had posted about this and whether if there were any good solutions, but the help that was on there did not rectified the issue and it still failed the test.

I am now using ZoneAlarm which also has a pleasing GUI and it is simple to use and is also light on resources, it doesn't have the same features as the pro version but it still keeps you secure enough when surfing the net and i feel that this may be the one that i stay with or i might go back to Comodo.

If any of you can tell me how to configure PCTools firewall so that it doesn't fail the Shields Up test then i would appreciate it as it might have been because i did something wrong.

If you have read all of this then i am amazed and would like to wish you a nice day ;)

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I don't know why pc tools isn't passing for you. It worked fine when I had it installed. :(

I'll disable my router later and have a go with its settings.(not tonight, maybe tomorrow) I'll let you know if I find anything.

 

As for comodo, I don't like it. Its a pretty heavy program and I don't think its as good as everyone says it is.

Andavari had a similar problem with it that I had with ghostwall(it didn't uninstall right for him).

 

I would say use ZA, Kerio, or PCtools if your looking for a free one. If you want to pay for a firewall just buy a $30 cheapo router with a built in firewall and it will protect your pc better than any software firewall.(plus you wont have to renew it yearly)

 

Why are you using norton 2005? Are you still getting database updates?

Honestly you would have a much faster and more secure pc if you dumped it, installed AVG or Antivir and followed this guide:

http://forum.CCleaner.com/index.php?showtopic=7936

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lol rridgely my pc is still very fast with it on and yes it is still getting the database updates and to maybe everyone's surprise i actually like it a lot, for reasons that even i do not know why. The reason that i am using 2005 is because it still has all of the features like anti spam etc where as the 2007 version does not, although this might have changed now and also i cba with getting the 2006 version. I also have Antivir on my system and before anyone asks, yes i have disabled the active guard so that the two anti-virus software do not conflict with each other; that is considering if you even consider Norton as an anti-virus :P . Having said all of that i was considering purchasing the new ZoneAlarm security suit. would that be a good idea to do or not?

 

oh and thank you for thinking of disabling your router and having a go with its settings

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I have the ZA suite on my laptop.(well had)

I have a license for it but once they switched to this latest version the start up speed is pretty slow. This shouldn't be that big of a deal on a desktop but it became annoying quick waiting for it too boot up.(I don't know about you but I leave my desktops on 24/7 so the start up time on there isn't a big deal)

I've heard that a bugfix release should be coming pretty soon. If it fixes it I'll install it again.(I got the license from a friend and it still has like 250 days left)

 

I like the ZA suite. It has a great firewall, good AV (kaspersky), and a decent antispyware.

I however do disable all of the other stuff it has.(not that its bad, I just don't have a need for antispam or IM shield)

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I have the ZA suite on my laptop.(well had)
lol

 

Yeah it was CNET editors' review http://reviews.cnet.com/ZoneAlarm_Internet...7-32309439.html that made me consider of purchasing the product and it also apparently offers three way firewall protection and is lighter on the old resources.

 

I've heard that a bugfix release should be coming pretty soon

I'm guessing that this will hopefully fix the start up speed then and i know that a slow start up speed can be very frustrating.

 

I don't know about you but I leave my desktops on 24/7 so the start up time on there isn't a big deal

No i do not leave my pc on 24/7 although i have heard that this can actually be a good thing to do but i don't know what you think about that rridgely. However saying that i am on this computer a lot when on my college holidays but not quite 24/7 ;)

 

So why is it that you did not use ZoneAlarms antispam or IM shield, is it becouse you have better ones and if so what are they?

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Nah I'm not on my computers 24/7 either. :P

I just leave them on because I hate waiting for them to boot up.(impatient I guess. :P)

I've heard all sorts of arguments for and against it. Some compare it to a light bulb(if you leave a light bulb on it lasts longer than turning it on and off all the time) and others say thats not true. None of my pcs I have right now are all that old(well the win98 computer is pretty old) and the only hardware failure I've ever had was a hard drive died on me once on the win98 machine.

 

I don't use the antispam or IM shields because I only have 1 email address that I let the mail download to my machine(a gmail account that only friends and family have) and I don't use the IM shield because I barely ever use IM. I hate IM. :P My other emails are just yahoo accounts so the antispam wouldn't do anything anyway.

 

About the "3 way firewall" thing. I think thats just a kind of buzzword the firewall companies are using now.

They are still doing the same things they have always done. :P Theres a link somewhere making fun of ZA for saying that, I'll post it if I can remember it.

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Hey,

 

Every time I use Zone Alarm my internet just doesn't work -- turn it off, and every thing is fine. So, with that said, I am looking for a new firewall. Right now I'm just using the one with Windows. I was just wondering if I could get some opinions on the other firewalls recommended in the sticky

 

Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall

Comodo Personal Firewall

Jetico Personal Firewall

 

Basically, which one uses less resources, yet does the job (I'm guessing they all do, or else why would they be recommended?)

 

Thanks.

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lol once again using a new buzz word to reel in more profits although like you said earlier it is still a good firewall to use. That explains why you do not use either the antispam or IM shield as you mainly use gmail and yahoo. i don't have a gmail account although i have heard a lot of people rate it highly and one of my college teachers showed me the Google analytic products and it was very impressive. I don't know if it is true but are Google thinking of making an operating system or is it just a pack of lies <_<.

Yes i would like to see that post making fun out of ZoneAlarm although don't go and bust a gut trying to look for it.

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Your internet should work with ZA.. Your sure you weren't blocking your browser or something?

 

All of the ones on that list are effective. They will do there job and shouldn't cause any problems.

To be honest ZA is the easiest on that list to use and jetico is probably the hardest(but its also probably the best if you configure it right). Comodo is ok and if you don't know much about firewalls I would try it next. Kerio is awesome, its light and very customizeable. Kerio is pretty easy to use but probably not as easy as ZA.

 

You could also try pctools firewall. Its really light, and does a nice job.

http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

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Google could very well make an OS but if they did I don't think it would be like any other OS available right now.

They already have office applications available online(word processor, spread sheets, and I've heard rumors of a powerpoint clone coming soon)

Something tells me if they do have an OS than its going to have lots of online centric features and probably be free.(but there very well could be ads everywhere in it too)

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Honestly never thought to see how ZA was configured since this has never happened to me before. I turned on ZA, and my browser didn't work, and I got disconnected from mIRC. But I changed the Internet Zone Security to MEDIUM (it was on HIGH), and everything is fine now, but is the setting good? I am behind a router, so I'm not too worried about being "attacked", but i just never fiddled with ZA's configuration before.

 

(What Firewall disconnects you from the internet? I guess that's one way of "protecting" you.)

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Yeah your fine with it on medium. Especially with that router firewall in place.

Basically all ZA is doing now for you is letting you know what programs are connecting to the internet and when.(of course its preventing unwanted stuff from connecting)

 

Look in the program access area and make sure you allow your browser and IRC client and then maybe you can put it back on high. Either way your good. :)

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Google could very well make an OS but if they did I don't think it would be like any other OS available right now

 

i hope that they don't as it will mean a new type of computer nerd/geek (i don't like using that term) will most likely say how great Google operating system is compared to windows or Linux instead of how they at the moment compare windows to Linux and how great Linux is and how much they are in love with it and all that other crap......etcetera. I hope that i have not offended anyone by saying that and i mean nothing by it I'm just fed up of people saying that in my computer course. :P

 

I found that when i installed Comodo for the first time that it didn't allow me access to the internet even though i had told it too, so i un-installed it and then re-installed it and it did the trick for me. ;)

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