firewall recommendations

can everybody please give me recommendations for a good firewall that offers good protection, but not at the expense of slowing down my system more than neccessary. i prefer a free solution but if a product is good enough i dont mind paying. i am using windows 7 x64 and will need a 64bit version or something that at least runs in a 64bit OS.

i have considered 2 firewalls - geswall not sure if the paid version offers enough advantages to justify paying, i dont want to pay an endless subscription unless its neeeded. if i was to buy geswall paid version, do i need to continually keep paying a subscription fee to use it ?. the other firewall i have considered is look n stop, but i dont know enough about it to make an informed decision. again i dont want to pay any subs unless its needed or offers any REAL advantages.

iam sure there are lots of others i havent considered like HIPS or not ? i dont even know the difference between HIPS and non HIPS firewall. all opinions are welcomed and i will try to keep an open mind. i just tried geswall freeware version and it doesnt work with x64. the option is there to download a 64bit version but when u try to download it say coming soon.

thanks in advance

Gazzer

 

I use Tinywall, a newly found little gem. I guess the closest "relative" is Windows firewall controll. both uses windows firewall rules.
It has no impact on the system as far as I can notice. It uses Windows 7 own firewall rules, the author has done all the tweaking for you. Just run it in auto learn mode for a day or so until you used all your programs that need internet and it will add these to a white list. Then just forget about it Really simple and no annoying pop ups asking you to decide.
There are some programs it doesnt find in auto learn mode, but you can easily add them manually by their .exe, service or process. And it is free. I Use Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit.

 

Unless you are willing to learn about rules for firewalls and MUST have a 2 way FW to allow you to control which applications have www access and which don't I wouldn't bother.

Just turn on the block all incoming in windows FW which is already on your PC and connect through a router.

 

Geswall is not a firewall its a isolater - lower program rights and dont expect to see 64bit either for lack of devs.

If your really not sure about Hips or need outbound control,I would have to mirror what Escalader said already to just use windows Firewall to block all incoming,keep it simple and light with no aggravations to speak of.

 

I suggest you to try Windows Firewall with Advanced Security coupled with Windows Firewall Notifier (http://wokhan.online.fr/progs.php?sec=WFN).
That is what I use.

 

if you willing to Pay first Try Defense Wall Firewall Version Trial if you like it Buy it it's easy to use and Reliable

else you can try OA / Comodo approch to be honest those are the Best On the Market these Days

 

Does DefenseWall works with 64bits now?

 

Comodo.

Hackers/Malware writers hate it. You can't disable it, maybe some settings but you can never close it render it useless. Rootkits get in though but the rest you have control over.

 

Online Armor free is pretty light on computer resources. http://www.online-armor.com/products-online-armor-free.php

 

Excellent recommendation. Thanks!

 

I have always had problems with OA and Punkbuster. Maybe the new version works better with PB?

 

With so many Firewalls, what does a man do?

I am a novice and uneducated when it comes to firewalls. So what is a man like me to do?

How do I pick a firewall for me, and my needs and wants, when there are so many out there?

Can someone give me some guidelines or guidance in how I should find a firewall that is reliable, well known, credible, trustworthy, and also does what I personally want and need?

I am confused which firewall I should install and begin using and learning and would appreciate some guidance in selecting one. Hopefully a firewall that is not too confusing or too advanced, but still has top class protection. And I assume all firewalls have HIPS, which I assume is essential that watches for ALL changes to the W7?

My main objective is that it's 100% Freeware, to have it work with Punkbuster and not keep popping up a window as I start Battlefield and Punkbuster, as this has caused me much problems in the past and firewalls eventually blocking Punkbuster.

I also want to be protected from nasty websites with drive by downloads etc.

I also would love to be able to have my W7 registry monitored for unwanted changes, if that's possible in a firewall?

And I want to be able to see what programs are wanting to access the internet and decide to allow or deny those particular programs internet access.

Anyone give me some advice please?

What firewall would you guys and gals use if you were in my shoes, seeing you now know my needs and wants?

By the way, are there any good and reliable testing and comparison weblinks that show all the leading firewalls? That may help me decided which one to get as well.

Cheers!

 

hi
Can you explain how comodo lets rootkits in please.?
I thought comodo was supposed to be a bulletproof solution.
But aside from that i would strongly recommend online armor.

 

sorry for the late reply, but unless iam mistaken defense wall doesnt run on x64

 

There's no such thing as a bulletproof solution.

 

Online Armor.

 

I have tried GeSwall, HIPS and many others... but most of them just give me some sorts of headaches, annoyances, system slowdown "heaviness syndrome", surfing slowdown, bluescreen, etc...And then I just decided to be content with the built-in xp windows system firewall...and paired it w/ Sandboxie, Eset nod32 home edition antivirus, vpn, etc. and my life becomes easy and happy.

My motto is, when it makes your life and pc system problematic and your surfing slow then better removed it and forget about it. Life is short and there are other things to do that need more attention.

 

What about outbound connection protection? Win XP does not protect it you know. ESET AV does have a built-in HIPS. Have you disabled it? If not why are you using this HIPS when you're clearly saying HIPS gives you headaches, annoyances, etc.

 

I'd like to second that request fo an explanation about that rootkits and CIS. I am a long user of Comodo with D+ and have never been infected by one. With regards to the OP's request I'd suggest either Online Armor Free / Comodo / Privatefirewall for freeware. Outpost Firewall Pro / Online Armor Premium for paid.

 

In the past, I was nearly paranoid trying almost every "protection softwares" I can find, free and pro..even those made in China firewall (did they still exist?)...but then I noticed and observed that most of these things are just actually experimental in nature, or probably just a mere creative expressions of pc programmers in different parts of the world...but I think many are commercially motivated, its all about money...like ebay you saw that and this...flowery ads blah blah especially those magickal items that really don't work, that in the end you realizes that it just become one of the many useless craps sitting there in your system.

Maybe, it just depends on your surfing habits. But I prefer minimal but proven and tested strength of protection rather than using everything in the world coz making your pc to run like a fortress that in reality is just an illusion. I tell you there are lots of business minded people out there that takes advantage on this, and you know who they are. Psychological warfare works effectively in the internet world, so don't be paranoia or else you'll end up like a ....never mind.

The best protection you can do is not to put those important things, files, infos in the pc used for regular surfing period. Make regular backup copies. Use isolator program like Sandboxie (tweaked and tightened) and keep your antivirus updated. Antivirus, antispywares, antirootkits Scanners can detects trojans and there are some softwares out there that can also detects active suspicious unseen running connections in real time. Use VPN. Spywareblaster. System Protector.

Windows XP firewall I think is just good enough if you know what you're doing. Pray, learn and believed and With additional "safety nets" you're in good hands.

My Eset Antivirus HIPS was just put in the default auto mode, the other modes disturbs me a lot. Eset Smart Security (antivirus + firewall) looks attractive but it gives me more problems than enjoyment and also other things added that I don't need w/ it so I return to their purebred line.

 

@sweater
I agree with you completely. But I still prefer to be paranoid. I actually enjoy it.

 

if you're behind a nat device and don't care about outbound program control, the windows 7 firewall will have the least system impact and denies inbound connections by default. win7 firewall + tinywall works well.

that being said, if you want a two-way firewall and want to use another product, i've had good luck with agnitum outpost.