Pick the firewall that matches these criteria: Pick one that is compatible with your OS. Some old ones won't work on Vista or Win7. Some new ones won't work on 2K or 9X. Pick the firewall that matches your skill. A pure rule based firewall won't help someone with no knowlegde of internet protocol or the IP system. Choose a firewall to fill the role you have for it. Do you want just an internet firewall or a whole package. Many security apps have kernel level components. They can do strange things when there's more than one involved. Avoid duplicating coverage. That's where conflicts come from. Don't worry about test results, especially those d@mned leaktests. Their results are very dependent on the configuration of your security apps and are designed to favor suites or combined packages. How well any individual security apps fares against them doesn't matter. What counts is how well your whole package works as a unit. If you must test, test the whole system, and don't assume a failed test is a weak application. Most of the time, a failed test means that further configuration is needed. Make a backup of your system before trying out firewalls. This way you always start with a clean system with no unremoved leftovers interfering with the next trial. As for a firewall preference, I like Kerio 2 supplemented with SSM, but I'm partial to rule based apps and separate components. Not a setup for a novice or casual user. Don't make your decision based on poll results or others preferences. More than anything else, your choice must fit you.
Missing quite a few open source *nix hardware firewalls in the options...Endian, IPCop-Copfilter, Untangle, PFSense, etc.
I like Private Firewall. But there are some very good choices on the list. Everyone has their favorite.
No option for 'other'? I know it's a heresy on this forum to suggest Sunbelt's version of the Kerio 2.1.5 firewall, but it's wonderful, even in the free version (plus SSM), once configured in a way similar to Kerio plus being able to use IP groups, the simple interface, fast user switching, good logs. Outpost free is wonderful too, though the logs in the free version are lacking allowed connections, and sifting through the applications isn't as simple as in the Kerio-style firewall.
Here,maybe not that much. This thread,current during the time PCTools was on top,did not show a big switch to that application. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=246797
I wonder is this is the Windows firewall in Vista/7,with outbound protection enabled,or the simple Xp inbound firewall.
Online Armor is excellent and includes a very good (and quiet) HIPS. If you are running Vista, the Windows firewall should be fine.
Never been able to install Outpost Free on Vista Sp1 On win 7 - cannot be installed either. Windows FW? You gotta be kidding me.
