Vista Compatible Firewalls

Discussion in 'other firewalls' started by Piecan, Dec 8, 2007.

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  1. Piecan

    Piecan Registered Member

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    Hi guys Please could you tell me which firewalls you are using with Vista? I had a look at Online Amour but that isn't compatible. I can't do firewall rules so want something application based. Thanks.
     
  2. koliko

    koliko Registered Member

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    Last edited: Dec 8, 2007
  3. Newby

    Newby Registered Member

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    Hi,

    I run Vista64 with the simple VistaFirewallControl (64 version 1.1) for some light outbound traffic initiation control.

    It controls the Vista internal firewall for outbound application control. I have it running without Vista's Firewall (disabled it because I use a D-link routrer with build in Firewall with NAT/SPI at header level).

    I do not have sensitive data on this gaming box, so I am not paranoid with leaktests (performance with balanced protection is more my aim), so I could not tell you how effective this is when you are obsessed with leaktest.

    On Vista64 Comodo is the alternative (I did not even try, because Kees1958 did report the D+ as being very chatty, when he can't get it quiet I don't even start). He posted a link in a Comodo thread, see https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1127991&postcount=26
    Nobody reacted, so this was either a remark so stupid Comodo fans did not bother to react on it, or it is true. For the time being seeing what trouble Coolio (a fanatic Comodo fan) took to let Comodo pass this test and the ease with which this simple VistaFireWall control ap passed this test, I am inclined to believe Kees1958 statement.


    Greetings Newby
     

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  4. Espresso

    Espresso Registered Member

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    Kind of useless if it controls Vista's internal firewall but you have it turned off, no? o_O Actually, it has no control over Vista's firewall at all - they're completely separate.
     
  5. Newby

    Newby Registered Member

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    Thanks for the explanation.

    That is what I intended to explain, works without the build in Vista firewall, although PC World, mentions this as the first sentence "If you want true outbound firewall protection for your 32-bit Vista PC, use this to help manage Vista's built-in firewall".

    I would not agree: it is usefull: although I do not bother I tried the leaktester tests. It failed on PC Flanktester, DSNtester, Ghost and Wallbreaker, passed on others. I did not perform onbe test, because it asked to be installed (you can not expect software to correct user mistakes).
     

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  6. Diver

    Diver Registered Member

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    Actually the built in firewall in Vista is pretty decent. The Vista OS is hardened compared to XP. A lot of well known bloggers (Long Zheng, Silverman)are running free AV's like AVG that omit some spyware detections, leaving Windows defender and UAC on, and they are not having problems. It seems to be enough for today with the Vista market share low. Of course, living with Vista is another story completely and your spiffy Core 2 will run Vista like a P4 with the same clock speed runs XP.
     
  7. Newby

    Newby Registered Member

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    some more test results, others did not work in vista64/gave errors (like mbtest)
     

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  8. Diver

    Diver Registered Member

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    By the way, there are several suites with decent firewalls available. Kaspersky and Zone Alarm come to mind, also Symantec Endpoint 11 has the Sygate firewall in it, if this one is available to you.
     
  9. Newby

    Newby Registered Member

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    Sadly but true :doubt: Vista64 does not provide the promised 20% performance increase in regard to 32 bit OS. Vista64 with double the CPU power is the same as an old P4, only with Directx10
     
  10. Newby

    Newby Registered Member

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    Agree,

    With UAC, Defender, Avira (only write) free, Vista Frewall Control free, HautSecure (beta) and PRSC, I have a light working setup for only 35 euros (renewals only 19)
     
  11. Coolio10

    Coolio10 Registered Member

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  12. Piecan

    Piecan Registered Member

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    Thanks very much guys for taking the trouble to share that information. :) xx

    I tried Comodo firewall a little while ago on my xp machine but it confused me no end so went back to Zonealarm! Haven't tried Zonealarm on this machine as I've heard from someone else with the same machine (Aldi) that it caused BSODs, maybe a conflict with his AVG antivirus.

    Maybe I should decide which antivirus I'll stick with before chosing a firewall, as from what you've said the Vista firewall isn't too bad..so could use that if I can't get my antivirus to work with it. Right now off to investigate the antivirus section!
     
  13. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    PC Tools Firewall Plus v3 has not been mentioned. I'm running it on 32bit Vista and it works fine. I also use AVG, Spyware Terminator and Winpatrol - they all get along.
     
  14. koliko

    koliko Registered Member

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    I did mention it, but only as v2. I'm sorry for the mistake I made. Nevertheless, the link I provided leads to the version 3. :cool:
    Cheers
     
  15. kurchatovium

    kurchatovium Registered Member

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    I heard the Zonealarm firewalls are difficult to uninstall. Is this true?
     
  16. Victek

    Victek Registered Member

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    Quite right - an oversight on my part. I should have said no one seems to be talking about it :) The current version is 3.0.0.52 and it has been working flawlessly for me on 32 bit Vista Business. I had problems with an earlier build, but this one is fine.
     
  17. koliko

    koliko Registered Member

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    I haven't used it myself, but I hear people are quite content with it.
    I am very pleased to see that the number of amazingly good free firewalls is rising. :thumb:
     
  18. pepoluan

    pepoluan Registered Member

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    Hi everyone, this is my first post here. Used to be just a visitor, now I want to contribute back to this community :)

    I believe so. Comodo's forums ( forums.comodo.com ) has its share of horror stories related to ZA.

    BTW, I'm also on Comodo's forums under the same username.
     
  19. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

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    ZA is not difficult to uninstall. Use Add/Remove Programs and uninstall it. Reboot. Delete the \Program Files\ entries and the \Windows\ZoneAlarm\ entries. Reboot. Delete the registry entries. Reboot.

    Easier to remove than Norton or PC Tools or Comodo.
     
  20. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

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    I have tried a number of firewalls for Vista. My experiences and opinions:
    • PC Tools Firewall Plus V2 was OK
    • PC Tools Firewall Plus V3 was awful
    • Comodo V3 was awful
    • ZoneAlarm Security Suite has too many missing pieces on the Vista Version when compared to the XP version
    • ZoneAlarm Firewall Free is too minimal
    • ZoneAlarm AntiVirus is what I'm currently running (trying it out in trial mode)
     
  21. kurchatovium

    kurchatovium Registered Member

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    I suppose its depends on how one defines difficult. To me any software that requires me to edit my registry is difficult to remove.
     
  22. AKAJohnDoe

    AKAJohnDoe Registered Member

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    I have yet to find any software that does not leave something in the registry. I suppose it depends upon how interested one is in removing all traces.
     
  23. kurchatovium

    kurchatovium Registered Member

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    Yea that is an interesting point. One I never thought of. Perhaps most programs do not uninstall truely cleanly. The only software I uninstalled which required registry editing was Mcafee and it is now one I do not use anymore.
     
  24. BG

    BG Registered Member

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    I'm running ZA free with Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0. I uninstalled the FW portion of SEP because I like to be asked. I tried Webroot & Pctools with SEP but they didn't like each other. Running really sweet.
     
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