Any Zone Alarm Pro/Free users out there?

My friend gave me a disk with a trial version for 30 days.
I installed it on another PC (older PC) and have to say it is running very smooth, no slowdowns, quick and easy installation.
I havent used ZA in years but I have to say I am impressed with how this FW is still working.
This was actually my first learning experience with a firewall years ago but when I downloaded it today I had to have a good laugh, brought back memories of sitting at my PC looking like this when I installed ZA....

Who knows after the 30 day trial is over I may have to look into buying this for the family PC, my wife has always liked ZA mostly because its easy to use and understand when she is using the computer with the kids and seemed very happy when I installed it.

I dont really see it being mentioned here, mostly Jetico, Look n Stop, Kerio and Comodo.

So whats your thoughts on Zone Alarm?

 

Have used it for years for all the reasons you mention. Am still actually using vers. 5.5.094.000 on my older laptop and my personal tower. I prefer it`s lite resource usage and with my other layered defenses do not feel the need of the additional features of the later 6.XXX versions. On my Wife`s PC however I do run the latest. She has a basic understanding of its` functions. And who knows what she may stumble into while I am not around to bail her out before it is to late.

 

I have used and liked Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall, have used and really miss having Comodo Personal Firewall, and now have AVG Internet Security Suite which comes with a firewall. Guess what I did though? I uninstalled the Firewall through the custom install, and use ZA Free separately instead. Why? Because as much as I liked SKPF, and miss CPF. The latest version of ZA Free 6.5.737 is running smooth, and as you said very simple to use. This suits my needs just fine, plus it gets along with my AVG AntiVirus and Anti-Spyware just fine. As long as the old problems that plaqued ZA don't resurface, this will most likely be a keeper for me, and I might eventually even upgrade to the Pro version.

 

I installed ZASS 5.5 a few years ago and thought I died and went to heaven. It took to my computer like a hand in a glove. I proceeded to install the subsequent upgrades without incident, while reading about the catastrophies in the ZA forum. I had no problems and thought they must have screwed up themselves. Then I installed version 6.5 and started a long process of uninstalling, erinstalling, disabling parts of ZASS and finally winding up with a shadow of what I originally had. Now I use Comodo, NOD32, and a few antispyware apps, and my pc is running fast and light on its feet.

 

I agree twl845, there were many problems with the 6.5 series, but I'm hoping the latest one has fixed everything. Seems too at least so far. A possible update worries me somewhat, but I have Auto Update set to Manual. Believe me, I read the Zone Labs Forums again before installing ZA Free, and this time it would seem there aren't as many problems. (There are a lot of ZA users however, which of course raise the number of troubles, that in defense can sometimes be user error) Comodo on the other hand doesn't seem to have too many problems, and it's user base is on the rise. The only reason I don't use it now, is I feel I don't need everything it offers as far as what it covers. I sit behind a Wireless SPI Firewall and use Firefox with McAfee SiteAdvisor which helps me surf a little more safer. That and ZA Free plus AVG Anti-Malware seems to be taking care of my particular needs. However, if I were to be more adventurous in my surfing, I would surely revert back to Comodo, and maybe even change my AV preference.

 

Duke1959 - You look well covered. My only advise concerning ZA, is to wait at LEAST a month after version 7 is released and then check the forum "installs and upgrades" section before you upgrade. Even though they seem to be doing it right for once by issuing a beta, history tells me it could be a jewel or a nightmare. I gave up and installed CPF. I think it's the best move I ever made. Aside from the occasional pop up, I don't know it's there and my pc is faster without the ZASS. I don't think a customer should have to cross his fingers every time he does an upgrade, and be a techie to do an uninstall as with ZA.

 

Your making rethink my decision twl845. There is just something about ZA Free that I like though, but not sure why. I fully understand Comodo is most likely a better Firewall, and I truly do miss it. Time will tell. I will leave Update on Manual and do like you said for the next new release. Wait. I also agree one shouldn't have to be this cautious with a a software program, and this is at the heart of my second thoughts. I'll keep you informed as to my decision to go back to Comodo. One question. Are you saying your browser is faster with CPF than it was when using ZA?

 

I use ZA Pro 6.5.737. Security Suite. I do not use the antivirus instead I use NOD32. The spam filter doesn't work that well. Only sometimes. I can easily connect to the internet & I see no problems. I am behind a router so I don't get many incursions. Their version of what is called HIPS seems to work ok but doesn't offer the protection of one of those fancier HIPS programs although its easy to use & understand. It has very good notification of Keylogger activity & you can easily shut down an application . I have no problems with updates they seem to work ok. Anti spyware is ok clearly behind other applications but better than a lot of them. Since I have NOD 32 2.7. I am protected against most spywares anyway although perhaps not keyloggers. I tried Jetico---so many popups I coulden't use the thing.. Sygate ok but hard to setup & cannot use for proxies. Norton good but clogs up your computer since its norton. Kerio 2.1.5 really a lot worse than Sygate. New kerio ok probably better than version 2 but I diden't like it. I think that todays ZoneAlarm is an excellent firewall. When the new NOD 32 suite comes out I will be conflicted. ZoneAlarm works perfectly. I don't know if I should bother to change. Maybe I should heed the advice of "If it ain't broke don't fix it"!

 

An analysis was done by the author of this site:

www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm#2

If you go to item 5 for his recommendations of the best free firewall, he no longer likes ZA free. The author states that ZA Pro is far superior.

 

Duke1959 - No my browser isn't noticeably faster with CPF but my computer is. As an example, my shutdown time went from 28 seconds with ZASS to 15 seconds with CPF. Oh yeah, ZA had a bug that gave me a ...end program dialog box as I shut down, so that might have accounted for 4 seconds.

 

Ok twl845. As I slowly try to wean myself from this software addiction. (see my obsession thread) I just want to have the right combo for my needs. Then hopefully I will stay out of the forum for awhile. LOL. I'm starting to think maybe Comodo Firewall, AVG 7.5 Antivirus, and Cyberhawk may be the ticket. I use FF with Noscript and surf safely with McAfee SiteAdvisor, so I'm not sure I really need a RealTime AntiSpyware running. I am sure though, that I need to settle on something soon, and stop all this. LOL

 

WOODY777 - I rest my case. You paid for a suite, and then disable the AV part to install NOD32 (so you will get the definitions updated regularly, right?).
You paid for a suite, but the spam filter works, sometimes.

 

PC MAGAZINE review.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1975593,00.asp

 

TWL845: Ok your right I will wait for the release of NOD32 3.0 & will install it. It would certainly make my life easier to have an all in one security suite. But, I still llike ZoneAlarms firewall.

 

Woody777,
ZoneAlarm ISS is in the beta stage of testing. They are going to switch over from CA to KAV as their antivirus. Version 7 should be out in a few weeks.

 

Hi, folks: I have used ZA products on and off until I settled w/ ZASS v.6.5.737. ZA firewall is an excellent app, equipped w/ triple firewall; network,application and O/S, it is probably what you can ask for from a decent FW. No slowdown whatsoever. I skipped its AV,AS and substituted w/ others. I found Checkpoint(its master) has a somewhat not-so-good ambition to rush its newer version. My experience has told me that just stay away its early builds of new version, and await its later ones(matured ones). This has be proved that why there were so many bugs w/ v.6.0; 6.3 etc until matured at v.6.5. 737. The newest v.7.0 is very likely to go thru the very same sad route. I wish I were dead wrong here.

 

ZA 7 would also be a good way to go. KAV makes this suite very interesting. One thing I like about ZA is I have come to understand the product & can handle it. The triple defense firewall is very nice. Networking is very easy to do. I would hope that ZA7 would also improve the antispyware & spam filter. But I have so much antispyware installed on my computer I really don't care. I really don't get much spam.

 

Good post and very sound advice.

 

Still running smooth after using it for a day, no slowdowns, nothing.
Different PC's mean different results but I just gave up on ZAP and moved on, heard too many bad things about the firewall but thats my fault, you dont know until try
As I had already mentioned my wife likes ZA for its easy understanding and ease of use for the family PC and that would be a perfect choice for my wife and the 2 little boys, I previously had Kerio 2.1.5 running on this PC.
Its alot easier to explain ZAP than K 2 but if my wife doesnt understand something at least she knows to not accept it or deny it.

 

I am current using ZA Security Suite - my only issue is possibly the strength of its AV. It is based on CA VET AV, which whilst OK, is not the best.

That being said, it is, IMO, one of the best value fully featured security suites available, and the differences between pro and free again, IMO are worth the money.

 

Go with God.

 

Since I last posted I went to the Comodo site & checked this product out. Yes it looks like a really nice firewall. It offers all kinds of configuration options. I suspect that if you are going to try to do something special with a programs permissions you can do this. On the other hand it looks very much like the old Sygate. Sygate was hard to setup to do special things. It is not a security suite. If someone besides you uses a firewall Zone Alarm is easier. With security suites all you need to do most of the time is install & run. I also heard that in the past Comodo was difficult to uninstall. This may be no longer true but the suspicion lingers in my mind. ZA in the paid for versions may include some support. I am not sure if this is true of Comodo. There however seems to be a nice forum. If I was starting over I would perhaps try it out but I really prefer a nice suite.

 

Hi Woody777 - I used ZASS for a few years, and when it worked well it was handy. What I have learned since is that stand alones are a smarter way to go. If one or more modes in a suite start screwing up, like the AV won't update defs or the AS doesn't update, or they aren't doing a good job, you're stuck with them because you also have a spam filter, e-mail filter, IM filter, firewall, and so on. The first thing you do is disable the AV and get a stand alone. Then you get another AS because you don't think the suite AS is doing the job. It's like getting a VHS/DVD combo in your house because your VHS player quit and you have 100 tapes. After a while, the new VHS player dies, and you're stuck with half a unit for DVDs. It would have been better to by a new DVD player, and a cheap VHS player, so if one craps out all you have to do it replace the one unit. Well, that is basically what happened to me with ZASS. I disabled the AV and got NOD32 (best move I ever made) and installed Comodo. After I uninstalled (under much stress) ZASS, my computer ran faster and the apps accessed crisper. Comodo installed really simply, and after 2 clicks to configure, I keep it on learning and I hardly know it's there. As far as ZA support, it's pitiful. Just check the forum from time to time to see the help support is. The guys in the Comodo forum will stick with you till your problem is solved.

 

I don't know about ZASS, but re ZAP I would add that while it is an excellent FW (receiving very high ratings from just about every reviewer), it's processes consume more memory than many other FWs! If your PC has lots of RAM then that won't be an issue, but if it doesn't, you will likely suffer a noticeable performance 'hit'.

 

Indeed you are correct! Most SUITES I just do not like them.