Replacement for Sygate Personal Firewall Pro

Hi. I am new to the forums, so please excuse any gross errors.
I have been using Sygate Personal Firewall Pro for quite a while now and I really like it, but I hate the fact that since it was bought by Symantec it no longer updates and might not be sufficiently up to date to counter the most recent threats, so I want to find a replacement for it but I can´t make up my mind with so many options available. Here is what I am looking for in a firewall:
Low on system resources (and that allows me to turn it on and off when I want to, not when it does. By this I mean that unless I manually start the firewall -which I do when I connect to the internet only- there are no processes or services running associated to the firewall)
Fairly easy to configure but that allows you to create advanced rules (block or allow specific ports, protocols and/or programs)
Good inbound and outbound protection
Unobtrusive (I´m OK with warnings at first when it´s "learning", I have not created program specific rules or when a program has changed since the last time it was used -due to an update, etc-, but if it constantly bugs you with pop ups then I don´t want it)
Free or paid for doesn´t matter
No Beta versions
I have already tried (and want nothing to do with): Comodo (caused BSODs), ZoneAlarm Free or Pro (not P2P friendly) and Lavasoft Personal Firewall (completely messed up my computer)
I have Windows XP Home SP3, NOD32 v3 and SpySweeper as on-demand scanners only, not resident

 

Id recommend pctools firewall plus. Like you, i finally decided to give up on the discontinued sygate and kerio 2 and started using pctools. First impressions: very easy to use, pretty light, and it has an advanced mode for expert users.

Id also recommend online armour free or paid - its also light and easy to use, and the paid version allows you to set up advanced rules.

 

I had been looking at PC Tools Firewall Plus too, but then I saw the results of Matusec´s tests (it got a 6%) and I tought better of it. I had also been looking at Webroot´s Desktop Firewall (which is now free) but then I learned that it does not allow you to create advanced rules (and that it is based on Privacyware´s Privatefirewall which got a 65%), so that´s a no go either...

 

1-So you consider Matousec's tests important for your choice?
2-What do you expect from the firewall?
3-A final note - this forum has many threads on the matter, you should search for similar topics (plenty).

 

I read elsewhere (not on Matusec´s) that the PC Tools Firewall has poor leak detection. Webroot´s was not included in Matusec´s test, but the lack of advanced rules makes me exclude it.
I do not consider Matusec´s test particularly important, as a matter of fact I had never heard of them before today, I found them while Googling for firewall comparisons and reviews and it appeared to be pretty comprehensive and it included plenty different firewalls.
What I want/expect from the firewall is what I mentioned in my initial post, something equivalent to, or better than, Sygate Pro, with low system resources, unobtrusive and with good inbound and outbound protection. I am not particularly interested in HIPS protection.

 

Stick with good old Sygate my friend. If you're not concerned about all this outbound, leaktest passing mumbo jumbo then Sygate is perfectly adequate. It's still one of my favourite firewalls for Windows.

 

Unless the firewall has some form of built in HIPS module like comodo, OA, Outpost etc, it isnt going to do well in leaktests. PC Tools, Sygate, Kerio are all pure firewalls - thats why they do poorly in leaktests and so thats why you shouldnt make a decision on the basis of leaktest results.

 

What do you mean exactly by "pure firewalls"? Those that do not include HIPS protection? Also, I might be wrong here, but by "leak tests" I understand those that determine a firewall´s ability to control outbound traffic, which Sygate does...

 

I am trialing Rising Personal Firewall. It is a very non intrusive firewall. It makes the outbound rules for known software for you. Very much set and forget.
Of course if it doesnt recognize a outbound attempt it will ask you if you want to allow it (once or always) If you like to tighten up the rules for it later you can do it. It doesnt recognize all the leaktests, but a normal user that doesnt try cracks´n´stuff every day doesnt encounter malware that those leaktests mimik anyway (is there real life malware that does behave like the leaktests anyway?) Been using it for a couple of weeks (on Vista) and it works great. Frequent updates too.

Another one is Look´n´stop. A pure firewall with in and outbound protection that doesnt care much about the leaktest "hysteria"
(even though it catches some of them with a bit configuring) you can tweak until your eyes bleed - if you want to, you dont have to do that, just choose the enhanced pre configured config file and you have a good protection for the normal malware. You can look in the log and make the network rule with a right click.
I have used it on and off for years, but sometimes it blocks stuff without telling me why (and thats why I try another firewalls now and then)

If you feel you want to have full leaktest protection and a non intrusive firewall part you could try Online Armor. If you feel that the HIPS component is too annoying you can turn it off and it becomes a self configuring normal non intrusive firewall, like Rising.

if you are one of those who care about memory consumption these are light I guess (personally I dont care if they use alot of memory as long as they dont slow down performance: use hard drive constantly or high CPU usage. My take on this is that RAM is there for a reason - to be used)

 

Hello,

Sygate's IDS signatures are out of that, but the firewall itself is solid and well. You will have a hard time finding something as light, simple and effective as Sygate. Stick with it. It's TEH firewall for gaming, p2p. No overhead practically, no slowdowns. Purrs like James Bond Aston Martin DB6.

Leaktests are overrated. Furthermore, Sygate has excellent outbound protection. The IDS signatures are more for fun than actual use.

Mrk

 

Totally agree, stick with Sygate. No probs with games, P2P and the lot whatsoever. I tried Comodo, OA, PcTools, Webroot. But I decided to stick with Sygate, because each of them gave some problem of their own kind.

I "back it up" with Threatfire and Sandboxie.

 

Sygate is so simple to use, used it for years.

I used to have a licence for the pro version. Is the link on majorgeeks for the old pro or personal version? If personal, what's it have, a nag screen on startup?

 

Here's a nice link for all kinds of versions

http://www.savefile.com/projects/1045215

 

Thanks Yoda. I noticed pro version 5.5 2710 is the final build, whereas the others are a beta and a debug build.

Not sure of the difference so I've downloaded all three.

 

Using 5.6 3408 debug pro with nonting problems on windows xp home.

 

What is the difference between the Pro n Personal version?

 

There is no nag screen. There are some settings greyed out in the free version, but they are not needed.

 

What's important in the PRO version that there is a termination protection.

I mean, when the firewall is somehow terminated (malware and such) one looses all internet connection.

So it passes the third test of sss (System Shutdown Simulator)

 

Have you tried Sunbelt Kerio Personal free?

 

The features that you are talking about are needed by some people, you shouldn't draw a conclusion only from your personal experience.

 

OK, How about I draw an opinion from my personal experience.

 

I think that feature is available in the free version? That or it is selected but greyed out, so that it cannot be changed. Someone with the free version please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Looks like it is not available....

 

Hi, I believe the free version is limited to 20 advanced rules whereas the pro is unlimited.

 

Thanks, that is definitely the most useful of the features left out of the free version (imo). There are other ways to protect it though if you feel it is needed.