What Firewall have you got ?

When using dial-up I used ZA Pro for years, then Comodo, which I found to be more trouble than it's worth. I then purchased DSL service, a Linksys router and upgraded it with Tomato firmware.

I tried online armor, post router, don't know why, but again, it became a headache. So now I use Linksys Router with Tomato, Windows Firewall, Prevx with SafeOnline, and Firefox with Adblock, NoScript, and I have javascript turned off.

Ubuntu VM
Fedora VM

Eset AV
Malwarebytes

Everything works great!

Jim

 

BAD MISTAKE!!!

The FREE OA is limited and does not contain the advanced security features that are essential in a good firewall to be effective.

You are better to use FREE Zone Alarm or COMODO which can do everything the PAID OA can.

The free OA is not secure enough...and even during install they explain that the FREE OA does NOT contain the advanced security features of the PAID OA.

 

Firestarter ain't a "firewall, it's a GUI and just uses the Netfilter (iptables/ipchains) system built into the Linux kernel.

 

I thought I posted this small question but cannot find it. Maybe I never hit the SEND button. If it is duplicated, my apologies.

With all the very glowing tributes to Windows built-in FW, a point has puzzled me for years. All the evidence I have ever seen that Windows FW exists is the "active" marker on the security panel. I have never had any indication that it is working, I do not know how efficient it is, I have nothing to show activity, I have never seen an update. In fact the entire thing is a mystery.

A kind of "It`ll be alright on the night" syndrome.

Other FW`s I have had include just about everything needed to show precise and variable activity complete with dynamic logs and provide an excellent set of controls.

My current OA covers many security features additional to the excellent FW.

Windows FW to me is like flying completely blind with no instruments of joystick. I feel a lot happier with a full set of control and monitoring instruments and a responsive combination of control steering.

Can you please explain why I should take any notice of something that I am told is there, never shows any signs of it`s existence, yet is highly acclaimed by many advanced users ?

 

Personally I use Comodo with D+, although I haven't been using it for long. Used Zone Alarm before that, but I found it to be a resource hog so I uninstalled and was using the straight Windows FW for a while. So far I am very happy with Comodo and D+ especially. Yes, there are a lot of pop-ups (mostly D+ though) but that is a good thing. I want to know that it is actually working and that I am in control. It also seems pretty light on resources and the interface on the new version (5) is really slick. I'm no expert, but I like it.

 

i tried PCTools (latest version is annoying), OA (had delayed start-ups), ZA free (also delayed start-ups) and now i'm on Outpost firewall pro. couldn't be more satisfied.

 

Could you tell me that security is such that Comodo and ZA Free is the Free OA has not?

 

Again!!!

 

I use Eset Smart security built-in firewall. After a learning periode for 3 days, was the firewall set in interactive mode. Since then it has worked well without
problems.
I have very rare popups from Eset firewall,this is probably because I have a system that rarely change
If I have to choose another configarition, then I will Choose Nod32 and Online Armor free Firewall, strong combination, in my opinion.
Best Regards

 

I use Comodo,true it is a pain with the constant popups but they do go away after you have taught it what to do.I now very rarely get any popups and prefer it to all paid versions.

 

Using Online Armor Free, loving it.

 

Comodo the HIP/sandbox makes it quite a dangerous item when it comes to sneaky malware

 

That's how the best inbound firewalls work... just block it and shut up. If you feel safer with the security blanket of having something tell you it's working, with a nice green check mark on your quick launch bar that says "Don't worry, you're safe", then there are plenty of products like that to choose from. In fact, that's 99% of them.

If I were running Windows 7 I'd use the built in firewall too because it has outbound protection. Then I'd compliment it with a pure HIPS program. But I'm still on XP Pro, and Comodo FW+HIPS is perfect for my needs. And I have no plans to change my OS until they stop supporting it.

 

@John Bull

Also does the Windows firewall log show nothing?
Gerard

 

Gerard,

I must seem a proper idiot, but I never knew I had a Windows FW log. How do I find it ? Having always used popular brands of FW, I`ve not taken much notice of Windows.

John

 

On my laptop it is c:\firewall log

Gerard

 

Hello Gerard and thanks. I followed http://ecross.mvps.org/howto/pfirewall.htm
and created a logfile icon on my Desktop. Just selected "Dropped packages"

Now I can see what Windows FW is doing by clicking the icon. I never even knew it did anything, thought it was a MS "good idea at the time" affair. Quite a revelation. Rather like finding a $1,000 bill in the back pocket of an old pair of jeans.

Thank you very much. I have done well this week with several questions, every single one has been answered successfully, from lost puppies to Firewalls.

John

 

You can have even a nicer look.

Gerard

 

Gerard,

I like it - how do I get it ?
I did try FireLogXP by 2BrightSparks, but it never played, kept asking about an Internet connection - I dumped it.

As you probably guess, mine is just a Notepad sheet - black and white like some 1940`s movie.

John

 

Please can anybody help ? I have a poltergeist at work.

As you can see I use OA as my FW and like it.

Something keeps switching my Windows FW OFF. I switch it on, then some time later it gets switched OFF and this goes on all the time.

I suspect OA, could be wrong, but if it is I do not know how to stop it.

Thanks - I know somebody will have the answer.

John

 

OA is switching it off, John.
It knows you aren't supposed to be running two firewalls simultaneously.
And if it wasn't switching it off, you should be.

 

Thanks Page,

The clever little critter, whatever will it know and do next ?
As you say, I`ll leave Windows FW off.

Hey ? What happens to all those dropped packets that Windows shows on the log when it is switched off ? Will that super-duper hyper-intelligent OA take them over ?

John

 

Yep

 

OA shares that clever distinction with a great many other firewalls, John.
I don't have personal experience with more than a few, but they all seem to know that Windows FW is running (sort of as a default, interim FW) and they all shut it down so that it doesn't conflict with the new software. Makes me wonder how easy Windows FW must be for malware to shutdown... like maybe it isn't too good at self-protection.
Edit in: Actually, I think I know the answer to the question I raised... Windows is probably agreeing to be shut down, i.e. it automatically recognizes that a bonafide, legit firewall replacement is trying to install, and it yields to it.

 

I have Online Armor Premium 4.5 in an XP SP3 machine. Another XP SP3 machine with Outpost Pro ver7. Outpost Pro ver 7 in a Win7 x86 machine. My first firewall other than the built in windows firewall was CIS. But I moved on to OA free(also a good one) then to the Premium version and made it a staple software for me. I like it very configurable and the HIPS is great. One thing that made me look for an alternative is the slow loading from start-up. Had posted in the OA forums about it but it seems to be a standing issue still. But aside from the loading(if you don't mind waiting..) it's a solid firewall.

Now I came to like OP Po better. Loading is fast. Not very configurable friendly like OA but after months of use I came to like it also! Pretty solid too.

I have Comodo on a stand-by (when license expires or something..ha ha). New versions seems to drag on my system XP SP3. Not tested yet on Win7 x86 though.

Have tried Private firewall also a good one. Got some minor issues with ShieldsUP/PCFlank results and some leaktest(Comodo) and had to part from it. I hear the newer version has improved but still finding time to test it(just migrated to Windows 7 and still learning the ropes from XP to Win7).

About windows firewall....I don't really know if it's functioning or not way back I used it. I just would leave it on back then. It alerted me back but got infected all the same(was using Avast free ver 4then, just it). So I ditched it and paired Avast with Comodo.


Cheers!