Listing of all FREEWARE Firewalls

[TheMozart]

Why are people paying money these days for a Firewall when there are so many great FREEWARE Firewalls around?

What are all the FREEWARE Firewalls that are descent enough to use, and that have great protection?

Online Armour

Zone Alarm

PCTOOLS

COMODO

Any others?

[RADEON0101]

Online Armor

Comodo Firewall

The above are the best, In my opinion

....Then you got

PrivateFirewall

Quick Heal Firewall Pro

FireBwall

AVS Firewall

HandyCafe Firewall

Ashampoo Firewall Free

PC Tools Firewall Plus

Outpost Firewall Free

Athena Firewall Browser

ZoneAlarm Firewall Free

Then you have Windows firewall controllers...

Tinywall

Windows Firewall Control

[Dark Shadow]

Fortknox personal firewall

[TheMozart]

Thanks for all those listings

So my question is, why are people paying money for a Firewall when so many Freeware ones around?

What can paid versions do that freeware cannot?

Or are there any Freeware Firewalls that do exactly the same as paid versions do?

[ichito]

FortKnox?...isn't free.
For free we have also: Filseclab FW, NetVeda Safety.Net, Kerio 2.1.5, SoftPerfect Personal Firewall, Outpost 2009, Primedius Firewall Lite, Ghost Wall...

[Dark Shadow]

Fortknox is not free my bad,I thought is was.

[acr1965]

The last I checked Fort Knox had a full featured trial and after the trial period ended it became freeware with some features disabled.

[dw426]

I'd also take Sygate off of there. It's long been under a headstone and no way would I trust it, even on a system it supported to secure me.

[RADEON0101]

Originally Posted by dw426

I'd also take Sygate off of there. It's long been under a headstone and no way would I trust it, even on a system it supported to secure me.

Sygate removed

[RADEON0101]

Originally Posted by TheMozart

Thanks for all those listings

So my question is, why are people paying money for a Firewall when so many Freeware ones around?

What can paid versions do that freeware cannot?

Or are there any Freeware Firewalls that do exactly the same as paid versions do?

No problem

I am sure for those who pay for a firewall, are people who don't know the free ones exist. Sure, we know they exist....But Grandma, Grandpa, Mom or Dad may not know about what's out there, So they buy the first thing they think will benefit them.

Of course now a days, I think that is less common due to more people being into computers.

[alexandrud]

Also, many freeware firewalls are bloated with commercials about upgrading to the pro version, and other annoying ads. Also, many of these software have fancy graphical interfaces with more settings and buttons that an average user would use.

Kerio 2.1.5. This one I like for simplicity. Unfortunately it is a little old, for XP is great.

[Critter2]

sygate is still a great firewall, I still use it and will for the foreseeable future

[ellison64]

Originally Posted by TheMozart

Why are people paying money these days for a Firewall when there are so many great FREEWARE Firewalls around?

What are all the FREEWARE Firewalls that are descent enough to use, and that have great protection?

Online Armour

Zone Alarm

PCTOOLS

COMODO

Any others?

I think whether the firewall is free or paid is irrelevant and a red herring.For instance those free ones you mention i personally dont like and wouldnt use any of them for any great length of time ,i wouldnt pay for the "pro" versions of them either.People who buy or use free firewalls choose them for their needs at the time.Those that dont know what a firewall is usually end up using the windows firewall which is defaulted on or the firewall in a security suite that usually comes bundled with it.

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by ellison64

I think whether the firewall is free or paid is irrelevant and a red herring.For instance those free ones you mention i personally dont like and wouldnt use any of them for any great length of time ,i wouldnt pay for the "pro" versions of them either.People who buy or use free firewalls choose them for their needs at the time.Those that dont know what a firewall is usually end up using the windows firewall which is defaulted on or the firewall in a security suite that usually comes bundled with it.

So what firewall do you use?

[ellison64]

Originally Posted by TheMozart

So what firewall do you use?

.Well i also use a router but as far as software firewalls go ,For the last few days Im using AWFC,which i donated to ,in july jast year,well before it was the finished article.Before that I used the one in roboscan security suite (free) before that i used the one in NIS2012 (paid).Ive also got licences for outpost which ive had since it was beta around 10 years ago (paid).I also have a licence for sygate pro (paid) which i cant use any more and looknstop (paid).Ive used at one time or another all those that you mentioned an others.These days i prefer simple application firewalls ,that show outgoing apps via a popup whith a simple choice to allow or not /delay etc.Unfortunatley most of this type are inbuilt with security suites and dont come seperate.I dont want any with hips,even if i can turn the hips component off.Again though my choice is not based on whether its free ,donationware or paid ,as that isnt really representative of whether i would choose a firewall or not (it might be for some ,but without trying them all you are limiting your choices).If its good and suits my needs ill try/ use it.

[DropTen1]

Hello, I have some questions PLEASE

(1) Is it still necessary to use a Firewall? I am using ThreatFire Free antimalware and Avast Free since Windows 7 first came out, with Windows firewall turned on, and feel very protected

(2) If the answer to question 1 is yes, please explain why.

(3) Why are the two on top (Comodo and Online Armor) better than the others. Also, why is ZoneAlram not included in the best category.

(4) I prefer not to use a Firewall because it keeps asking and interrupting, and in almost all cases I found myself allowing whatever it was intercepting. Even if I shouldn't have, I would not be able to know not to allow. This is the same reason why I have the windows UAC disabled.

Any comments, thoughts, and information on any of these points would be very appreciated.

[kupo]

1. Windows 7 firewall is secure enough so you'll be fine/
3. It's just their opinion.
4. As I said, Windows 7 firewall in enough. You don't want to be interrupted answering questions, so you disabled UAC, but you are using Threatfire? The last time I used it, I remember it asking me questions.

Summary: You are secure enough . Well you could enable UAC for enhance protection

[alexandrud]

Originally Posted by DropTen1

(4) I prefer not to use a Firewall because it keeps asking and interrupting, and in almost all cases I found myself allowing whatever it was intercepting. Even if I shouldn't have, I would not be able to know not to allow. This is the same reason why I have the windows UAC disabled.

Every firewall has a mode without notifications. You create a few rules after installation and then disable any user interactive mode. That's it. You won't be annoyed again with dozens of notifications.

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by DropTen1

Hello, I have some questions PLEASE

(1) Is it still necessary to use a Firewall? I am using ThreatFire Free antimalware and Avast Free since Windows 7 first came out, with Windows firewall turned on, and feel very protected

(2) If the answer to question 1 is yes, please explain why.

(3) Why are the two on top (Comodo and Online Armor) better than the others. Also, why is ZoneAlram not included in the best category.

(4) I prefer not to use a Firewall because it keeps asking and interrupting, and in almost all cases I found myself allowing whatever it was intercepting. Even if I shouldn't have, I would not be able to know not to allow. This is the same reason why I have the windows UAC disabled.

Any comments, thoughts, and information on any of these points would be very appreciated.

I really like and appreciate your questions. I too would like someone who is unbiased and experienced and educated to answer your questions.

[zip]

Originally Posted by djohn

Fortknox is not free my bad,I thought is was.

There is a free version of Fort Knox firewall.

http://fortknox-firewall.com/

I got bsod when I tried it.

[kupo]

Originally Posted by zip

There is a free version of Fort Knox firewall.

http://fortknox-firewall.com/

I got bsod when I tried it.

Another reason to use Windows Firewall . or Stick to a well-known one that is used by many. I am now using Online Armor and started to like it. The alert it's giving me is enough for me to understand if it's safe or not.

[Dark Shadow]

Originally Posted by zip

There is a free version of Fort Knox firewall.

http://fortknox-firewall.com/

I got bsod when I tried it.

I thought it was.thanks.

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by skudo12

Another reason to use Windows Firewall . or Stick to a well-known one that is used by many. I am now using Online Armor and started to like it. The alert it's giving me is enough for me to understand if it's safe or not.

I love OA but I had to remove it, because no matter what, it blocks Punkbuster and I keep getting booted of game servers. Even when I followed all the instructions to allow it etc, OA obviously has a problem with Punkbuster.

[clubhouse]

Originally Posted by zip

There is a free version of Fort Knox firewall.

http://fortknox-firewall.com/

I got bsod when I tried it.

A free download of a trial isn't a free version in the traditional meaning of free?