Free Firewall Apps

Duffman

Anyone know of any free and superior alternatives to ZoneAlarm? Thanks

Boggles

Sygate Personal Firewall, requires regestration but free for personal use. www.sygate.com

Frank Grimes

I use Kerio personal firewall, pretty good imo. www.kerio.com

anthonymcg

ZoneAlarm is about the best when it comes to free firewalls and its the one I use so I can't really recommend another.

Cabaal

Although its not free, back in the old days I used to use AtGuard.
Very good little program and only 3MB.

Just a dam shame Symantec bought the company that made it and then they bloated it enough to need a full CD to install from (ala, Norton Internet Security)

If you have a look around on the net ya still might find it.

moridin

I've been using Agnitum Outpost Pro for the past couple of weeks on the recommendation of a couple of online columns and I have to say that I like it... it's nice, unobtrusive and very configurable.

However the Pro version ain't free :eek:

tman

zonealarm seems to be the daddy, thanks to whoever told me about it... just the job.

Ruaidhri

Originally posted by Frank_Grimes
I use Kerio personal firewall, pretty good imo. www.kerio.com

Yes,Kerio is extremly intelligent and extremly small. I'd recommend it highly

Mac daddy

I have this on my comp not bad http://blackice.iss.net/update_center/index.php

Mac daddy

or here is another one from tiny

http://download.com.com/3000-2092-10053671.html?legacy=cnet

Fabre

Personnaly I use KERIO PF
for the following reasons:
- Use less ressources than zonealarm and sygate, (5.5 Mo)
- You are totally in control of the firewall rules.

my last firewall rule is block all, this mean I never get any nagging screen and only the communication I authorized happens.

ToxicPaddy

Ill second that, Kerio is top notch and you have complete control over everything..

Much better than Zone Alarm or any of those other ones available...

Capt'n Midnight

If so then you are more at risk - simply because you are on long for a longer time. - If you connect using a Network card then almost any dedicated external firwall will beat internal software .

eg: ping a machine with zone alarm as it boots - you may get a reply or two while it's loading (NIC drivers load before apps..

If you have an old 486 the chuck two nics into it and download something like GnaBox Lite or any of the better linux router project floppy based things. Most are controlled by a web interface.

Mutant_Fruit

Yes, a dedicated non-software firewall is best, but the best Software firewall is Kerio. I highly recommend the latest beta found here

I find it is 10x better than the 2.15 version, and is solid as a rock.

Then to test your firewall, try https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

A properly configured Kerio will provide perfect results from this site, and allow you 100% freedom of use of the internet.

-Wheeler-

If you're a windows XP user, is the included firewall sufficient for most users or should a dedicated software firewall such as ZoneAlarm or Kerio be installed for additional security ?

Also, if installing a 3rd party firewall on XP - should you disable the XP firewall and just use the 3rd party one ?

Thanks.

Wheeler_1028.

Fabre

depends, if you are a dial up user and are not connected that much the XP one might be enough.

But If you are on DSL I would advise you to install a third party firewall (e.g: kerio) and disable the xp firewall, it will just eat ressources for nothing.

-Wheeler-

Yeah I'm a DSL user - so I'll probably do the above.

Thanks.

Wheeler_1028.

PaulMagrath

I would have to disagree.

Defence in depth is always better than defence strung along a line.

Zone Alarm is the best free firewall app.

Mutant_Fruit

back that up with proof: Copy and paste the results from Shields Up when they test your computer's firewall.

Here's the stats for Kerio:

"Reverse DNS" is not present
for your Internet connection.

In filesharing:
Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.

Common Ports:
"our system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet — solicited or otherwise — was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests."

Reults from latest Kerio beta.

PaulMagrath

Heres the Shields Up results for Zone Alarm combined with Windows XP's own firewall:

Reverse DNS:
Present but only a version of the IP address. (this is IOL's fault)

Filesharing:
Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.

All Service Ports:
Your system has achieved a perfect "TruStealth" rating. Not a single packet — solicited or otherwise — was received from your system as a result of our security probing tests. Your system ignored and refused to reply to repeated Pings (ICMP Echo Requests). From the standpoint of the passing probes of any hacker, this machine does not exist on the Internet. Some questionable personal security systems expose their users by attempting to "counter-probe the prober", thus revealing themselves. But your system wisely remained silent in every way. Very nice.

Mutant_Fruit

i'm surprised about that, i know ZA used to allow reverse DNS.

Also, i know that previous versions of ZA corrupted downloads frequently, which is why i never recommend it.

PaulMagrath

Originally posted by Mutant_Fruit
i'm surprised about that, i know ZA used to allow reverse DNS.

huh?
Zone Alarm can't allow or disallow reverse DNS. It is controlled by the ISP's servers. There is nothing you can do about it other than complain or switch ISPs.

Also, i know that previous versions of ZA corrupted downloads frequently, which is why i never recommend it.

I have only very rarely downloaded a file and then was unable to open it and when I have I do not believe it was because of Zone Alarm.