Recommended Firewalls

Can anyone, please, recommend free firewalls that are compatible with Windows 7 (x64 bit) Home Premium with Service Pack 1. As well as recommending one, would you please say why you recommend it.

I used and was happy with Agnitum Outpost but I cannot find a free firewall they issue that works with my operating system.

 

Comodo Internet Security Premium 5.9.219863.2196
http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge-64/
and here
http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge-64/results.php

 

I've always used a third party firewall because the advice I've always read is that Windows own firewall isn't up to the job.

Is that abbreviation for graphical user interface?

Thanks

 

That used to be the case but the firewall built into Windows 7, along with the firewall on your home Router should be safe enough for normal browsing.

Yes.

 

One of the concerns folks have with the built in Windows firewall is it's inability, at least by default, to block outbound connections. There are tutorials on the web that show you how to enable outbound blocking, but the debate rages as to its effectiveness. Many schemes for this require you to block all outbound connections and then create rules to open holes for your outbound traffic.

Microsoft sez: "blocking all "outbound" traffic can be very problematic and is not typically recommended" http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itprosecurity/thread/b2d7cafe-a57e-43b7-96fe-34c4645b6a92

That said, for most users the Windows Firewall and the protection their router offers is plenty.

 

I switched on Windows Firewall. After switching it on Windows Update would not run. I could not access the Internet. So, I decided that, as before, I didn’t want to use Windows Firewall.

I thought I’d try the other recommendation: Comodo Internet Security Premium 5.9.219863.2196. That didn’t work out either.

I cannot endorse this recommendation. I installed it. Even before I could access the application to look at any settings my computer kept crashing. It was not crashing before I installed this programme. I have got rid of it, which was not an easy task. Now that I have got this programme off my computer it is no longer crashing. Therefore, it would seem more than reasonable to reach the conclusion that this application was the cause of the problem.

I have decided that it would be better to go with the devil you know. I’m going back to Outpost.

 

Wow, sorry to hear that. Comodo works great for me. No crashes, very customizable.

 

I have been using Privatefirewall which is highly rated for it's protection ability.

Privatefirewall - Product Tour

A few tips:

• From the interface menu bar: File > Settings > Basic Tab
  in the Security Alert section:
  Check Both of these:
  
  Manual Control: Require User Input for All Alerts
  Disable Auto-Response​
  That will provide a more detailed alert AND will prevent automatic Blocking of an event if you are not there to respond within
  the default 30 second delay.
  --
• Before installing or uninstalling software, turn on Training mode temporarily to prevent numerous security alerts,
  OR just click the Training button on the first alert.
  --
• Export Settings (File menu) periodically and before updating Privatefirewall.

 

It's not your fault. I downloaded it, installed it, and then my PC started crashing. I never got to see what it does or anything. As my PC wasn't crashing before I suspected it had to be Comodo. Since I got rid of it my PC hasn't crashed. Another thing that put me off was that it was difficult to get rid of. That always makes me suspicious of software when that happens.