FREE FIREWALLS

Hi guys,

Please recommend me on the best firewall to install for my computer. Windows 2000.

1)sygate?
2)zone alarm?
3)tiny personal firewall
4)kerio

any other recommendations?
which is the best free one?

let me know for your opinions
remember FREE non paid
cause im cheap

thanks

 

Since your asking about which one is the best, its really which one works best for you. If you don't have any/much expeirence you might go for Zone Alarm, SyGate, or Outpost. Other firewalls like Kerio, Tiny, and Norton are rule based so they are highly complex and hard to configure properly.

Since your starting out consider Outpost, SyGate, or Zone Alarm.

 

Are you familiar with rules based firewalls? Are you willing to spend time learning how to? If so, you may want to try Kerio and if you're not familiar with creating secure rules sets go to a support forum (broadbandreports.com has one) to learn and get assistance. Bear in mind that one can be more insecure with a poor rules set than with a more "set and forget" firewall like Zone Alarm or Sygate.

It depends on you as an operator and your set up what would be the best program for you. Are you using a local proxy app like Proxomitron, AdSubtract, WebWasher, etc? Sygate has a bug where by it allows apps to bypass the firewall and connect to the net through the local proxy. But if you're not using a local proxy Sygate may be for you.

Tiny is now as I understand a sandbox app and not free. The old free TPF is old and I wouldn't recommend using it: its successor is Kerio (made by folks who build the original TPF). But again, that involves knowing or learning enough to create secure rules sets.

For immediate ease of use the choice is between ZA and Sygate. I used ZA free for years but I haven't tried Sygate so can't say. The only thing that keeps me from trying Sygate is the local proxy issue.

So, now you have to see which one(s) you want to try out. They're all good but different in their own way. It's up to you to decide what's best for you, seeing how a program runs and sets up and how you (and your PC) like it.

 

I forgot about Outpost. It does have a free version and many people like it. Good catch Blitzenzeus.

 

I can tell you ZoneAlarm free does a very good job. It passes all of the ShieldsUp tests and blocks all ports! Not bad for ease of use and co$t!!!

 

local proxy? what do you mean
i am at 56k
do i use local proxy
i dont think i do

im using sygate
i heard zone alarm is no good
has many vulnerabilities
i heard it was a toy
and hackers dont like sygate
let me know

 

A local proxy is a software program to proxy communications, and an example would be an ad filter.

Your depending on the opinions of others too much, does SyGate work for you? Does it keep you protected, and do you pass all of those external tests? If so cool, keep using it. They free ones are mostly the same anyway, with the exception of Kerio which is rule based and very complex to setup correctly so its more of a very advanced users program.

If you want to try another, try Outpost, but one only thing that really stands true is ZA has been known for bad uninstalls. Otherwise SyGate should work fine for you.

 

ok cool sygatge it's

now another questions
HEHEHEHE

anti=trojan program do i need this ?
i already have

AVG ANTIVIRUS but they tell me i need anti-trojan program for higher security of INSIDE out
whatever that means
if so
ummm

which FREE one should i get
any suggestions
thanks

 

Hi Bebo!

My personal AT favourites are TDS-3 and TrojanHunter. There is a forum for TDS-3 on this board. Neither of them are free. They have trial periods and cost. With AT apps you really do get what you pay for. Both are excellent and have proven track-records.

TrojanHunter: http://www.misec.net/trojanhunter/


Cheers from Larry

 

Try to use BitDefender free. It updates everyday. IMO it's better than AVG free.

Also I have ZA free on my other computer and it works fine. I have never had an attack that got through. ZA is not a bad firewall. It's perfect for people that down know how to configure a rule based firewall. Sygate is also a good firewall, the only problem I have with Sygate is that it's lets programs pioggyback out a proxy program like Proxomitron and Web Washer.

There is no good free Anti trojan scanners worth downloading. all but one have been abandon. Swat it is the only free trojan scanner I know that hasn't been abandon. But Swat it isn't that good IMHO.