Firewall Choice & General System Rules

For a long time now I have been using Comodo Firewall along side Panda cloud and that is it. Thinking that I know how to protect myself and work with a clean system there was no need for change until recently. Comodo Firewall started acting strange and then the network driver messed up and then I had to reinstall the OS after a good autonuke (dban).

So now having the disc clean and the OS ready, I came to the Firewalls section to find out if there is more to it and there is LOTS more.

I have read and browsed through the stickies and have a few questions.

Is this post still up to date?

System Wide Rules

I assume the rules and ports have not changed, so I could safely put those?

Same goes for..

Global Permit/Block Rules

Application Rules

Final Block Rules

I am just wondering and perhaps wanted to confirm that those are still up to date and can be applied to the net how it is today. If so I am very happy to apply those and hopefully be in better control next time. If the info in the links is out of date what I do NOT think let me know where I can find updated material.

This leads to the first part of the question really. Besides Comodo what other Firewall can you recommend that is simply there for the network control, not so much HIPS or included anti virus or adware etc.

Perhaps there is other less known firewalls out there that are perhaps more detailed or where rules can be configured better from a feel of things rather than pure function. Perhaps I am not finding the right formulation here. Sorry.

Thank you for any help.

 

If anyone could just briefly get back to me, letting me know the rules are current and good to go, that would be really nice and please do note I am asking nice here, not demanding or any thing. Just a bit unsure since a beginner with Firewalls and really kinda wanting to go about it the correct way from scratch. Thank you.

 

IMO, the CrazyM rule set is an excellent starting point. You can add and modify later for your exact setup.
Another great, old, resource is http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9858
Those tutorials are the basics and the internet hasn't changed since they were written, but systems have, so Windows 7 and up will need more rules, but maybe not. A good firewall will alert so you can build rules as you use the system.

You might get more help here if you specify what Windows and most important applications that you use.

 

I took a quick look and most rules seems up to date. There wasn't much change in protocols and ports when it comes to system services. New OS can bring some new services that could require other protocols/ports open to function properly. You will find that out when those services will get blocked by your FW and then create appropriate rules.

EDIT: act8192 was quicker than me

 

Wow wow wow, excuse my enthusiasm, but I have been waiting for the green light from the pros ever since yesterday, thanks heaps for the confirmation!!

Besides Comodo Firewall Free, what would you two use to get the rules in the stickies working combined with a moderately usable ui. Looking for function first, if it is good I don't care about the looks. If it is paid I am only really looking for a pure Firewall rather than combined av etc packages.

Again, thanks heaps for the replies!

 

It's been a while since I last tested firewalls so somebody else might give you more relevant advice. You can always try Outpost free or Online armor free but both of them include HIPS and some other non pure firewall components.

 

none, you have the best,
it just needs some tweaks but not as many as you imply


Advanced Settings/Configuration, confirm Firewall Security is active




under Firewall Security the Global Rules should look like this and don't need change




as to Application Rules you better use the Rulesets when possible




under Firewall Settings chose Custom Ruleset (you will have alerts for everything that calls out)
and make sure Do NOT show popup alerts is unticked
also tick Create rules for safe applications (it will show all apps under the Application Rules window)

 

Great great help! Thank you so much! Will give these tweaks a go. Thank you both for the replies and help. this should set me on the way.