Software firewall solutions for a network

Hi:

I’ve been using ZoneAlarm free a while now on a single WinXP HE SP2 system.
Seems to do the job ok. Microsoft’s firewall is toggled off.
Connection to my ISP comes via an Alcatel Speed Touch Home external
ADSL modem then a wired Linksys BEFSR41 EtherFast Cable/DSL router with
4-Port switch. I use the LAN port on an Asus P4T533-C s478/i850e motherboard.

Things are about to get more complex.

I’m soon going to build/add 2 new systems based on Asus A8N32-SLI
Deluxe nForce4 SLI X16 motherboards and add them to the network.
A new (main) system WinXP Pro SP2.
A new MS MCE 2005 (XP Pro SP2).

I want all three to share the internet connection of course and later ditto for
file sharing.

I know to stay away from/not install nVidia’s firewall software.

Does ZoneAlarm free behave well when installed on each of three systems in
a network?

Would using Kerio’s free firewall be a better option used this way?

I’d rather use free software but will pay if need be.
Can you suggest a better way to go?

NB. I avoid the use of anything from Symantec or McAfee.

Thanks in advance for any help,

 

All software Firewalls are very similar, the main differences are all the additional Security and comfort capacities that are added to them.

The old Keri v215 is a very good plain Vanilla Free Firewall.

Agintum Outpost is very good too. Outpost is Free Plain Vanilla + Popup and Ad busters.

Otherwise, my favorite is Symantec NIS 2003 (just the Firewall). I own the 2004-2005 versions and find them very obnoxious and stop using them. But the 2003 vesion is still manual enough to gain control over the application and it is very effective protection.

Link to: Assemble a Freeware Security suit for Internet Connection Protection.]

 

I run za-free on two PCs here, and a za-commercial product on a third. When the kids are home from college, there are two more with za-free. All on a wired&wireless network (Linksys using WPA-PSK-AES). The firewalls cause no problems.