Recommended firewall for Vista

[vijaygunners]

I don't have a clue when it comes to customising firewalls and prefer things that don't need constant attention once installed (apart from the initial program entry warnings) ???

I'm running the Vista firewall and have Kaspersky AV & Malwarebytes installed but looking to replace the firewall. I've been looking around for reviews and 2 have stood out the most, Online Armour & PC Tools. I see a lot that Comodo is a bit advanced and asks for permission a lot.

Which one do you guys recommend I use and wouldn't clash with or slow things down?

thanks


BTW the versions from download.com are
Online Armor 3.0.0.190
PC Tools Firewall Plus Free Edition 4

specs
Vista home premium
core2duo 2.2ghz
2gb ram
32bit

[Big Apple]

I'm running PC Tools Firewall Plus 5.0 Beta right now and it's running very smooth and light! Good & clear interface, easy to configure. Good enough for me this way!

[Long View]

do you have a hardware firewall router ? if not that might be enough. You may need more security but you may not. In 5 years of broadband with my Netgear router I have somehow managed to avoid trouble without the need for software.
I wouldn't remove the netgear for any software alternative.

[vijaygunners]

-{ Quote: "do you have a hardware firewall router ? if not that might be enough. You may need more security but you may not. In 5 years of broadband with my Netgear router I have somehow managed to avoid trouble without the need for software.
I wouldn't remove the netgear for any software alternative." }-
I have this router with WPA http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1622513672.1224538872@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdhadefhejjidjcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=972885&category_oid=

[mvdu]

What are the new features in the PC Tools Firewall Plus 5 beta?

[Zyrtec]

Hi,

Although, I'm a user of Windows XP Pro SP-3, form what I've read here and some other web sites, the Windows Vista firewall isn't that bad, if you combine it with a software called Vista Control Firewall.

That's what I've read but as I wrote, I can't tell for myself since I'm on XP.


Regards,


Carlos

[Big Apple]

-{ Quote: "What are the new features in the PC Tools Firewall Plus 5 beta?" }-

No idea, I can't find any info. I never used v. 4.0, so I don't know the 'new' features.

[doktornotor]

-{ Quote: "What are the new features in the PC Tools Firewall Plus 5 beta?" }-

Here... (http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54082).

[Big Apple]

-{ Quote: "Here... (http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54082)." }-

Thanks for the link! ;)

[zapjb]

I'm using Vista Firewall Control.

[mack_guy911]

why dont you check out for outpost pro i am having vista and install it form very 1st day still i got no problem.........:) its a great product and now they are giving 3 licenses at the price of 1 which is yepeeeeee...:D

[thathagat]

yup.......outpost is good check this link....http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/index.php

[Big Apple]

-{ Quote: "why dont you check out for outpost pro i am having vista and install it form very 1st day still i got no problem.........:) its a great product and now they are giving 3 licenses at the price of 1 which is yepeeeeee...:D" }-

I had Outpost installed a few days ago and it slowed down browsing on my system. Use: IE 7

[Saraceno]

Haven't tried the beta pc tools firewall. As mentioned above, new features in the beta below.

Firewall Plus v5.0.0.19 contains some significant functional changes and enhancements:

Password Protection – the end user has been empowered to protect critical areas of Firewall Plus with a password. These include changing or modifying Applications, Advanced Rules, Settings and Product Uninstall. When set, any attempt to make changes to these areas or uninstall the product will require a password.
Important - Please do NOT forget your password. A Password hint is provided to assist in recovering lost passwords. PC Tools cannot recover your Password, nor will any PC Tools employee EVER ask you to reveal your Password.

Full Screen Mode – the end user can instruct Firewall Plus to behave in a different manner when a program which requires use of a Full Screen is in operation. This ensures that programs such as Games, Movies or Presentations are not interrupted by Firewall Plus messaging. The user can set Firewall Plus to run in two modes (a) Secure (temporarily BLOCK requests) and (b) Flexible (temporarily ALLOW requests).

Network Layer Enhancements – invisible to the user. Program is more stable & robust.

Download link:
http://www.pctools.com/mirror/fw5beta.exe

[Saraceno]

-{ Quote: "I'm using Vista Firewall Control." }-

A lot of us tend to get carried away using something 'complex', but Vista Firewall Control (http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/order.html) is one damn easy and effective firewall. :)

[vijaygunners]

anyone for Online Armor 3.0.0.190 or PC Tools Firewall Plus Free Edition 4

[Big Apple]

-{ Quote: "A lot of us tend to get carried away using something 'complex', but Vista Firewall Control (http://www.sphinx-soft.com/Vista/order.html) is one damn easy and effective firewall. :)" }-

You may find Vista Firewall Control easy, but I sure don't. I've tried that program, but found it far too difficult, but that's just me.

[thathagat]

-{ Quote: "anyone for Online Armor 3.0.0.190 or PC Tools Firewall Plus Free Edition 4" }-
hey vijay ..
1.OA...PC Tools FW or Outpost all are good and commendable but you got to decide what you want from a firewall and what kind of surfer you are...careful or risky.
2.Do you have the patience and know how to deal with pop ups
3. it seems you are running kav 7 or 8...? so its proactive defense might conflict with an overtly aggressive FW.
4.So
(a)stick to windows fw
(b)Try OA free v3 try it for a few days
(c)better still next renewal move to KIS2009

[AKAJohnDoe]

I have been using ZoneAlarm AntiVirus on Vista and like it. It is a firewall and AV package.

[vijaygunners]

-{ Quote: "hey vijay ..
1.OA...PC Tools FW or Outpost all are good and commendable but you got to decide what you want from a firewall and what kind of surfer you are...careful or risky.
2.Do you have the patience and know how to deal with pop ups
3. it seems you are running kav 7 or 8...? so its proactive defense might conflict with an overtly aggressive FW.
4.So
(a)stick to windows fw
(b)Try OA free v3 try it for a few days
(c)better still next renewal move to KIS2009" }-
1. Carfull mostly
2. I know to let a program thorough... thats it really ???
3. running Kaspersky AV 8, Malwarebytes
4. might try b

[AKAJohnDoe]

FWIW, I have not gotten around to my own testing (as planned in this thread (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=219169)), but the Firewalls I was looking at are listed in the 27th post in that thread.

[Ed_H]

At the moment I am using OA Free along with Avira Premium. OA has very good HIPS and doesn't slow things down. That being said, you are going to have to try a few and see what works with KAV.

[GES/POR]

Running Privatefirewall for a while now and c now reason to change, works a charm without any bs features.

[vijaygunners]

I installed Online Armor from download.com and after rebooting I just got a black screen with the mouse pointer frozen :o I rebooted again only for the same thing to happen again.

I had to go into safe mode and uninstall.

[Kerodo]

-{ Quote: "I installed Online Armor from download.com and after rebooting I just got a black screen with the mouse pointer frozen :o I rebooted again only for the same thing to happen again.

I had to go into safe mode and uninstall." }-
That would not appear to be the firewall for you..... :dry:

[Long View]

-{ Quote: "I have this router with WPA http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1622513672.1224538872@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdhadefhejjidjcflgceggdhhmdgmh.0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=972885&category_oid=" }-


Looks good to me - ask yourself if you really need any more protection ? when was the last time you were contaminated, how often.... ? working the way I do I would be quite happy to sit behind your router with no other protection than Firefox -noscripts, adblcok plus and cslite. Being somewhat paranoid when it comes to security I would however turn on Shadow defender when visiting dangerous sites like Wilders :dry:

[mack_guy911]

i have KIS withoutfirewall + outpost pro they have great combo i love outpost form starting if you set rules or just make it ask for rules and not let it default rule setting outpost browsing become fast.....i agree that it down little speed of 2 or 3 kb but its ok because its security is very tight and its measure data on all counter measures only than it bypass it.

i used vista with outpost + kis and some time used linux on same net time by time and i feel the only 2 to 3 KB speed diffrence and yes i dont use IE much i use more opera and firefox......more :)))

[sosaiso]

Running Vista for about a year now, with only Vista Firewall. Yes, that's without the Control.

Light, no sorts of system crashes, and surprisingly, it handles bittorrent of Linux distros and gaming much better than 3rd party firewalls.

:D

[Ed_H]

-{ Quote: "I installed Online Armor from download.com and after rebooting I just got a black screen with the mouse pointer frozen :o I rebooted again only for the same thing to happen again.

I had to go into safe mode and uninstall." }-


This is typical for OA on the first re-boot..it is in learning mode. This is a one time thing. Once it finishes with learning mode, it runs very light.