Which Firewall?

I have Panda Pro 2012 installed. The firewall program will not run.

This may be because I have PC Tools Firewall Plus installed. It had a note that all other firewalls would be closed.

Which is the best to have? I tend to trust paid-for programs more than free downloads, but I'd value your opinions.

Thanks.

 

Most of the time the only difference between paid versions and free versions is tech support is included. PCTools Firewall was excellent when I used it, is wasn't updated for a while and I guess it's back under development again. Cannot offer anything on Panda products, have never used any of them. PC Tools firewall is secure, just make sure it's the only firewall running.

 

Thanks for your feedback. When I asked at a PC repair shop which firewall was best, they said the Windows one was.

This leaves me in a quandary. PC Firewall closes all others but it appears as if Panda will run alongside Windows. I don't know whether to delete PCF or not.

Anyone who's dealt with Panda on here? Need your feedback.

 

Depends on how you look at it. Windows 7's firewall allows for monitoring traffic way better than previous versions of Windows firewalls. If you only want to monitor who's trying to get in versus what's getting out, it's fine. I use Comodo's firewall simply for the option of knowing either way.

From what I've read, the firewall in the upcoming Windows 8 is supposed to be much improved over Windows 7. If that's the case, I may dump a third-party firewall altogether.

 

I'm still on Vista.

 

I have a Vista desktop and a Windows 7 laptop; I use the same configuration on both. Disabled Windows firewall, using Comodo's firewall on both.

 

I'm leaning that way, too, and I've used Comodo FW in the past. I'm going to delete PCtools FW and give the Panda firewall a shot. I've paid for it so I might as well use it.

 

You should use a firewall that has been shown to be effective and which works well on your system without using too much
system resources, regardless of whether you have paid for the program of not.

You can refer to the Matousec Security test results.

Matousec: latest news

This report is now almost two months old and this issue has probably already been fixed.
Note that the test was on the Internet Security package, and not the individual firewall.
Also, the version numbers do not match - current version at MG is 8.0.0.652.
The version number shown in the report is 8.0.0.655.
The version number show at the PC Tools web site is 8.0.0.602

Thread: need firewall advice

I am still using PC Tools Firewall 7.0.0.123

 

It's so confusing for someone who really has no technical knowledge at all. I ended up deleting PC Tools firewall and updated Windows Essentials.

Panda firewall will not function. I contacted their tech department but they do not recognize me as a customer. I have the disk but when I tried to register, it failed. I'll have to contact the repair store that installed Panda and find out what name they used to register me.

I can't say I trust Panda. It didn't find a bug that Anti-Malware found. I've also read problems with Panda on other threads. I doubt I'll be paying to renew Panda next year.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.

 

With laptops becoming more mainstream than desktops, and those laptops are used on public connections more and more, I find this an incredibly misleading quote.

 

I contacted my ISP and what I gathered from their reply is that most routers do not help security. It seems an added expense that will not stop a hacker, especially when MG offers free downloads of programs that help hackers 'translate' **** in passwords.

 

I used Comodo, until there was a problem with my Internet location Awareness, then it was almost a month before I noticed the problem,(restore points didn't go back that far) long story short, Windows FW is more than enough as long as a person practices safe browsing.

 

Well, to put it quite simply, they are wrong.

Password revealers don't help hackers one bit. I don't mean to be insulting, but judging by the majority of your posts over the past few months I think your a little paranoid. You seem to go through firewalls and anti-virus programs like I go through Kleenex; pick one, work to get it set to maximum protection and don't worry so much. Unless you've got the launch codes to the ICBM's on your computer, there's likely not much anyone can gain. If you have personal information and keep getting "hacked:, you obviously are an easy target and not protected properly.

 

Paranoid? No, just conscious of safety. When a person repeats verbally word-for-word (actually screams) what I say in an email to someone in another country, what am I to think? When I try to open my email program and I'm told it's already open and in use, what should I think? When a friend and I set up three traps on Gmail and the hacker falls for all three, I guess that's just a coincidence. When my AV and firewall is regularly turned off, I guess I'm doing it subconsciously.

If password revealers don't help hackers, how is a hacker able to discover what my passwords are? I change them every day or two, and they're 'strong' passwords, I'm told, so how does he manage to translate or discover what they are so easily?

I installed Panda Pro 2012 but it doesn't do much of a job. It allowed a bug through. Private Firewall is a pain but it stopped the hacker's proxy account in its tracks. I deleted it when it appeared to be in conflict with Comodo and Panda firewalls. I'm about to re-install it and put up with its 'training' mess because it has proved to work once against this person.

I agree I need protection and I've done the best I can afford by paying for Panda. If a router will help, I'll install one. I do not browse in too many places and tend to stick to the sites I know or am a member of. I don't consider myself a dangerous browser and I don't open emails from people and places I don't recognize, and I don't use Gmail any more, or Hotmail, or Yahoo. I do not place banking information on line.

If you can offer better solutions, I am open to your suggestions.

 

Another vote for Comodo.
One of the best firewalls there is, even if you only use the free version.

 

Comodo firewall is one of the best like hrlow2 said !! :wave

 

I also trust comodo's FW,you can also lighten it by going into the "more"section/"manage my configurations"(options) to remove the anti virus/spyware app's,,,the configurations can be a little intimidating,but when you become familiar with it,you can customize the settings easily to suit your needs.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-install-comodo-firewall.htm

 

Thanks everyone. I'm using Comodo FW right now but something strange happened to it during the night. It asked me to allow or block my normal programs like CCleaner. It took me ages to get the system running this morning. I'll try uninstalling and re-installing it.

 

I've used ZoneAlarm for years.

 

Thanks. I've never tried Zone Alarm. I'll check it out.

 

Just re-read post 14.
Private Firewall deleted because it appeared to conflict with Comodo AND Panda?
How many do you have going at the same time?
Like AV programs, there should be only 1 installed at a time.

 

Thanks. Only one now. I followed R&R and saw that it was best to have one. The Panda FW will not activate so the only one I have is Windows Vista.

 

Thanks. I've deleted Comodo FW now because instruction in R&R said to run only one. The Panda one will not activate and I am scared of removing the program and rebooting because, on another thread, a member had trouble when he did that.

 

A hardware/software firewall is the way to go. I connect with a wireless router on all systems used in house and change its name and password on occasion. Use OnLine Armor on the laptop running Windows when I feel I am using an unsecured connection, (Windows firewall the rest of the time) and dual boot my own Windows operating systems with a Linux distribution using shorewall. Did run an AV on the Linux boxes in the past but no longer. Use Firefox 7 with Quick Java to browse the web, and allow Java Script, Java, or Flash only when needed, on sites that I trust I don't use Internet Explorer to browse the web, or allow the installation of ActiveX controls from any program. Peer Block is also used, and have found it is a handy tool as it is one of the 2 start up items in the system configuration utility on this xp pro desktop. Still using Avast Free as an Anti Virus on all systems I contend with. Have also changed Administrator account name and quite a few other things to make this OS my own.

 

Todays posting on routers not being nearly as secure as everyone thought made me think of this thread.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/story.php?id=32540