OA Firewall FREE version OR ZoneAlarm Pro for home user?

Hello all,

I'm currently using ZoneAlarm Pro firewall on my pc. I really dislike how ZoneAlarm slow down my pc by alot...and currently im considering the OnlineArmor Firewall FREE version to replace it...

my main concern is that im a gamer so ZoneAlarm is easy for me to setup for my online gaming needs, what i do is just simply "allow" the game to connect to the net and ZoneAlarm will "automatically" create a rule for that game to access the internet...

i do not know how to create those firewall rules etc...my firewall experience is only ZoneAlarm Pro which is almost "Automatically" and easy for a home user like me.

Im searching for a replacement Free firewall that is Easy for me to understand just like ZoneAlarm...which i only need to "allow" or "deny" any softwares that needs to access the net...and it will "auto" create a rule for it...and at the same time "auto" open the needed port when i use that particular software/game.

can anyone pls kindly advise me on this?

is OnlineAmor Firewall Free version:

1. Easy to use for a beginner home user?
2. Is it secure enough for a firewall? Secure as in does it pass those leaktest?
3. Does it works like the same as ZoneAlarm? As in just need to click "Allow/Deny" and everything is "Automatically"?
4. Does it use alot of resource like ZoneAlarm??
5. I have read that the "Free" version does not have the update feature something like that, so to update it, i need to uninstall the firewall then install the latest version?

Can anyone pls advise whether should i stay with ZoneAlarm or go with OnlineArmor Free version?
Thanks alot in advance...

Greetings from singapore....

 

Hi,

1. Easy to use for a beginner home user?
Yes, Firewall and HIPS, HIPS can be shut down.

2. Is it secure enough for a firewall?
If not, you will read it real soon in this forum.

3. Does it works like the same as ZoneAlarm? As in just need to click "Allow/Deny" and everything is "Automatically"?
OF Free in Standard Mode works exactly like this, the firewall generates the rules for Allowed programs automatically.

4. Does it use alot of resource like ZoneAlarm??
About 16 MB RAM and 30 MB virtual memory in total on my system (XP, 2 GB RAM)

5. I have read that the "Free" version does not have the update feature something like that, so to update it, i need to uninstall the firewall then install the latest version?
There seems to be a workaround, as you can see here:
http://support.tallemu.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3333&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Cheers

 

If your a gamer like me and I play every game out there then OA free isn't for you. When ever I used OA it resulted in higher pings and increased latency. WOW would studder. ZAP is good but now I use Comodo. Pings in COD4 are 20-30 and my latency is way down. OA is a great firewall but not for gamers.

 

OA would be a good choice in your case it appears, and you might disable the HIPS, as subset suggested.

But if your a Gamer, you might also take a look at the Ghostwall firewall

 

As a gamer, I wouldn't use any firewall ... Maybe a router, but still, if you play FPS (CS, COD, Quake...), you won't "hit" as much as before, even with the same ping ; don't ask me why, I have no answer to this, but I already made some tests with some friend of mine, playing with & without firewall, software or router and we ended up to the same conclusion : don't use fw

 

The latest Release of OA (Build 95) doesn't have any of the problems described here. This were problems of the last "official" Build 31.

World Of Warcraft is running absolutely smooth without any studdering or lags.

So I must say that Mike and his team have done great work to improve this firewall since Build 31

As result I switched from Comodo (which isn't as "fool-proof" as OA) to OA Free yesterday.


Greetings

Timo


p.s. if there was full key-logger detection in the free-version like in comodo there would be REALY no reason to go back

 

Again, it depends on what kind of gamer he is.
Playing competitively on inet ? then no firewall AT ALL.

If hes just affraid of any lags in game, that some firewall would provoke, then he can give Look n stop a try ... If he doesn't care about outbound protection, then, ghostwall or even Windows FW should be fine !

About rule creation, yeah, ZA is easier I'd say along with look n stop

 

Even though I dislike these types of product x versus product y threads I decided to respond as I have used both ZA Pro and am currently using OA paid not the AV + version. For full disclosure I will tell you I'm an active beta tester for OA so that could cloud my objectivity.

This slowdown you mention may NOT be caused by ZA it could be caused by other conditions on your PC. What else do you have running other than ZA?
When was the last time you cleaned up your PC of old files and did a defrag?
Changing a FW you are use to just because you THINK is is slowing you down is IMO an insufficient reason in and of itself. Do you have any time left on your ZA license? What is your AV? do you use a vm?

I remember that for ZA! It was easy. But Ill have to pass, I'm not a gamer.

Yes, this is as easy in OA so this is NOT a factor in deciding for your case.

Just a point, free is not equal to paid and in the world of SW you get what you pay for. The way to KNOW is to download the product and use it on trial to find out. If you do you will need to be very sure you have removed ZA Pro in full and there is information on their web sites on how to do that. Once done activate the windows FW until OA free is working.

Anyone can try?

on 1, 2 the answer is yes
on 3 the answer is no it doesn't work exactly like ZA but the setup and ticking on applications decisions is even easier IMO.

4 I already answered this on resources, both use resources I would forget that issue. OA if anything will be less!

5 yes, there is no auto update (yet) go for the paid if that matters to you

Hope this helps

 

Hello,

I spent a lot of time to search and find another alternative to ZAPro 7.0... Maybe just because I was curious to see if some freeware alternative existed... But result is NO (to my experience and for my particular case ) !!!!

There are set of important features I have with ZAP 7 that I can't find on other products....

Well, speaking about configuration : I have NOD32 v3.0.642 and ZAP (only advanced FW is activated. I deactivated antispyware, OS spyware (but maybe it can be let activated in fact), privacy )... And my PC is runnung fast !!!!

NOD32 is a very good AV and antispyware, so no need to use other realtime engine !

ZAP 7 is a very powerfull firewall... No need to activate antispyware (because you already have NOD32)....

And no other real time antispyware softwares !!!!


Regards

 

Would you like to tell which set of important features ZA offers?
Forgive my curiosity.

Cheers

 

But how powerful ZA Pro really is in terms of inbound/outbound protection (especially inbound protection)?
Do you have any knowledge or experience to back this up?
For example, I'm using ZA Pro 7.0 and Nod32 Antivirus.
OS Firewall and Anti-Spyware are turned on and it works smoothly.

 

My opinion is OA. ZA doesn't show any impressive movements for a long time. On the opposite side OA shows impressive movement. So if you look for something to stick with for some time select something that is actively developing. At least you have a chance to be ready to resist the recent threats.

 

Why not try using the fre version of Comodo Firewall V3.0 which I reckon would be by far one of the best free firewalls out there and probably if not better than alot of the paid ones.

 

I'm using a Linksys WAG 354G DSL router with a statefull FW... So inbound protection is already done with Linksys FW. Part of my personal needs was to control outbound connexion... Regarding OS firewall, I did not activated the feature...


Regards

 

Hello,
Take a few time to read this

For my personal experience, and with PCs shared between wife and children, I needed :
-> Full XP compatibility (fast users switch - each of my familly has it's own non admin account !)
-> Game mode (for childrens)
-> Password protected
-> Config back-up / restore (for all of my PC managements, using XML files)
-> Smardefense (to use carefully but interesting for wife/children use without annoyances and to prevent them to click on the wrong case, on a window that they can't understand)
-> Good application and network FW
-> Interface and configuration are pretty well done
-> Minimum CPU/Mem needed ressources...


I have all of those features and... Much more...
Well, many people will say that ZAP is less efficient than OA or Comodo regarding leak tests... But ZAP behaviour is securing my home and I experienced some ZAP good behaviour (that we can name IDS/HIPS behaviour) regarding some applications with strange behaviour (potentially dangerous/unsafe)... And I'm not working neither at the White House nor in the Pentagon.... ;-)


I hope you enjoyed this, for your curiousity

Regards

 

Just my $.02, but ZA has a Game Mode setting built in. Have you tried that ?