Favorite Free Firewalls?

Hey people...what are your foavorite free firewalls?

Also, why would I pay for a firewall if there are so many free ones?

Thanks guys


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P4 2.4(800fsb)
1 Gb DDR 400
Asus Mb
60 Gb 7200

 

Because usually the free ones don't have many features and aren't very good.

http://home.graffiti.net/balbanebeoulve:graffiti.net/wintweak.html
Lists some security stuff, check that out.

 

If you have more than one computer a firewall router for $75 is a bargain. That is why I pay for a firewall.

 

a good free software firewall is Zone Alarm by Zone Labs.

 

Now that I've tried it, I'm partial to Kerio Personal Firewall. You can get it from Major Geeks. Let's you control how much control you have and does a damn fine job. Two thumbs up from me.

 

Best free firewall would probably be a correctly configured OpenBSD firewall, but I have no idea how to get it up and running. My preferred firewall ATM is IPCop. Of course, not everyone has a spare PC lying around.

For Windows-based firewalls, I've always been partial to SyGate Personal Firewall. (Sorry for the CNET linkup guys, MG only links to the shareware Pro version!).

I've tried Kerio, and I got a well-known bug called "DLL hell", which is basically an unbounded number of DLL errors and alert dialogs. These alert dialogs prevent you from using Windows, of course. I decided I didn't want to use software from people who left this kind of hole and weren't calling their software "Beta".

 

da chicken: An OpenBSD 3.3 floppy, pf FAQ on another Hard Drive, and some NATing never killed anyone... Well... some people have commited suicide, but that's off topic

 

SyGate Personal Firewall

Da Chicken...does Dell's XPS system get along w/ two personal firewalls such as Sygate & Zone Alarm running at the same time? I have a firewall in my linksys router...one built into Windows XP...Norton...can you get tooooo top heavy w/ layers of protection?

 

Yes, two reasons:

1.) They start screwing with each other, who gets to handle what first, etc.

2.) A firewall isn't security, it's just a shoddy excuse, a true firewall is a separate box conected to multiple DMZes connected to their part of their network...

 

Firewalls

Vlad902...is the linksys router a "seperate box connected to multiple DMZes"? Define DMZes. I know it's not demiltarized zones.

You think I should leave Zone Alarm in place on my machine & not remove it for the sake of putting Sygate on?

 

DMZ is close to DeMilitarized Zone, that computer is "outside the firewall". All traffic in and out is allowed as if there is no firewall. Often times you want a file/game server to allow all incoming traffic. Back up this computer well as it is at risk.

I use Sygate internally behind a router/firewall. Sygate tells me what is trying to get out , the firewall keeps things from getting in (except what I bring in via download).

My hard drive on the DMZ computer is named RE-INSTALL XP for a reason.

 

We all use Sygate Personal Firewall, no probs

 

Firewall

DOA... in your quote " My hard drive on the DMZ computer is named RE-INSTALL XP for a reason." Are you saying this particular computer has the firewall protection removed? Your term DMZ is an unprotected computer w/o a firewall?

 

Bassicly it means a computer behind a certain DMZ can't access another behind another DMZ, so if a certain part of a network is cracked, lets say a web server, they can't access the mail server, or dekstops, etc.

And yes, a DMZ is a demilitarized Zone

 

Ditto

 

I need to put a firewall on my sister in laws machine, but dont think I can explain to her how to use it.
Is that Kerio Personal Firewall easy to understand and use?

 

Ok Zone Alarm it is I will download it when i go there next week. Thanks for the info.

 

Agitum's Outpost

Outpost was great ( version 1), but the new version isn't free. They have a GREAT forum--great group of guys who support it for free--but the support directly from the company sucks!

Starkman