Kerio 4.0.2 Released - ZArio

Well much to the dismay of many of the advanced Kerio users they have ZA like controls with the advanced packet filtering, and you don't read the help file which many won't, you don't realize how to disable all the smple/predefinced settings so you can bring it back to a rule based firewall again. Hence the name ZArio...

However some people wanted something like this, but I have to think, if they wanted ZA, why didn't they download ZA? They should at least had an option of simple(newbie), or advanced configuration as the simple configurations cause problems in the advanced configurations unless completely disabled.

Turn Kerio 4x back in to a rule based firewall again

At this time they have not updated the website, but it was posted to our group this morning.

Its freeware, and full version in the same download:
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Freeware Version
Two versions of Kerio Personal Firewall are available: full (paid) and freeware (free of charge).

The same installation package is used for both version. After installation the product behaves as a 30-days trial version (full version limited by time). If the product is not registered by the expiration date, it becomes freeware. The product becomes a full version after license purchase and product registration (for detailed information refer to chapter Registration

Freeware versions are limited by the following restrictions:

It is available for personal and/or noncommercial use only.

Web content filtering, including its logs and statistics, is not available (see chapter Chapter ).

It cannot be used at Internet Gateways (refer to chapter Preferences

Logs cannot be sent to Syslog server (details in chapter Log Options

It cannot be used on server type operating systems, such as Windows NT Server, Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. If the trial version was installed on any of these systems, the Personal Firewall Engine service will be disabled by the expiration date and it will not be able to restore it.
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You can download it here, but be warned, many bugs are still being found with the program. I highly suggest if anyone is going to use the program they read the help files before asking any questions as many settings are redundant/conflicting so its more confusing to find some problems in your configuration.

Note: Personally I prefer using Kerio 2.1.5, Proxo, and SSM. They are all freeware programs.

 

Hi BlitzenZeus, I am hesitant to try it out as well as my version 2.12 is running nice. Versions 2.14 and 2.15 would shut down the engine for no reason on me.

I just checked out SSM and it is not freeware, maybe it used to be? It looks like a very nice program and was just wondering if I am missing something here.

Thanks.

 

Which link do you have for SSM? Its a common name in an internet search.
http://maxcomputing.narod.ru/ssme.html?lang=en

 

So what the Price of the new Kerio? Is it worth using for people that aren't good at making rules for a firewall? What is better the new kerio free or ZAfree?

 

They still have not updated their web site to reflect the new release. So no inidcation on pricing right now.

From what I have read, there is a simple user interface similar to ZA, as well as an advanced interface which is rule based.

I will let those who have or are using it comment further.

Regards,

CrazyM

 

Well 2.1.5 is $39 so who knows?

While being free it will still have:
--Simple, and advanced packet filtering.
--System Security module - Basic application sandbox
--IDS - Its basically worthless since you can't edit the ids rules, and only allow or block them. I just disable it.

I won't even compare it to ZA free directly, but I'm not aware of any advanced rules which you can make in ZA free. While Kerio has always been rule based which offers more control. Each offers different features, and everyone has a different opinion.

From my usage, I've already said my peice, they have combined simple, and advanced controls. The simple controls come first so they can be redundant, or even conflicting with your advanced rules. However people don't have to use the advanced rules, they can use the simple networking settings which is very close to ZA from what I remember about it.

 

Hi all,

Seems like I would be better off just keeping 2.1.5 up and running so.... I think I will !!!!

FireDancer

 

Yah! Just sticking to 2.1.5 myself. Thanks Zeus for heads up though.

Cheers, TAS

 

I fully agree. The reaction to this new kerio is nearly unanimous, and I had the exact same reaction when trying it.

They really need a option to switch between the advanced and beginner modes.

As many of recommended, just turn off everything and just rely on the packet filter. I've read the help file, and i'm still not sure how the basic app filter interacts with the advanced filters, but since i dont intend to use the former , i dont care!


Note: Personally I prefer using Kerio 2.1.5, Proxo, and SSM. They are all freeware programs.
SSM unfortunately is very crash prone on my computer.
Why couldnt they retain the old kerio setup and just add the App control?

The whole ZA configuration of only allowing ask/deny/allow by apps makes sense only in the app control part of the firewall. I suppose they wanted to be consistent and added it to the packet filter portion too?

 

Thanks BlitzenZeus, I looked it up in Google and it gave me a totally different app than the one you are talking about. Thanks for the link once again.

 

I use ZA free for the time being. I would like to know if it would be wise to try the Kerio and kick ZA to the curb. ZA leaves a big footprint (ZA= the real bigfoot)

I'm waiting til Sygate get the show on the ball and fix their piggy back firewall.

 

Well, ZArio 4x is very piggy on its own. On my system its using 25.5mb in physical, and 12mb in swapped memory between two programs. The memory usage has almost doubled since the beta releases.

You might try it, but make sure you completely uninstall ZA first. Its running fine except for its bugs on my xp system, but many people have reported that on any version of a NT system(NT, 2k, xp, 2003) they are having problems with it to the point they can't use it.

Keep in mind, while watching the progress, they released it too early. Their alpha stage was released as beta releases, and we were finding bugs that the alpha debugging should have found, then they are still fixing many beta bugs in these final releases. So do so at your own risk, I don't consider the program final release, and is still beta when you consider the quality of the software.

 

Thanks Blitzen Zeus. I think I'll pass on it if it's messes with WinXP.

 

I don't know about on XP but Kerio 2.1.5 runs great on 98SE. It's very light on physical memory & system resources.

I haven't had any problems with 2.1.5 so I don't have any plans of upgrading Kerio for quite awhile.

 

I wonder how long it will take kerio to beat this new version into shape

or maybe its time to try Look'N'Stop

 

No harm in giving LnS a try, I'm actually want to try out 2.05 when it comes out since it will actually have rule based application filtering. Also Kerio 2.1.5 is still working fine here.

It might be a while, they still have not listed it on their website, and there have been two updates released so far from the first 'final' release. I have no idea how many more final version numbers they are going to use until they finally get it out of its beta stages.

 

It works fine on mine, though it's not as "piggy" on mine as compared to those reported by Blitzenzeus, but still more so then Kerio 2.15

 

I tried LnS about a month or two ago. It's a nice program but for me it's a little difficult to setup rules. Kerio is a little easier to understand, it's just as light on resources & I haven't had any problems with it.

 

I tried Kerio 2.15 and I'm not good at makiing rules.

 

Neither am I but for me it's easier to make rules in Kerio than LnS.

When you first run Kerio run it in "Ask me first" mode. Then you allow/disallow programs as they try to connect to the net & check the box for Kerio to create a rule. Then, you can adjust those rules to be stricter if you want.

It wasn't until after reading some of the threads here & some fo the links in those threads that I began to understand how to adjust those rules.

 

Thanks. I got confused with Kerio 2.15 when people was talking about making a rule for loopback and a rule for proxo.

 

What's so confusing about loopback rules? If you are paranoid like me, you don't have a general loopback rule, so you preapprove everything.

If you don't care, you just allow everything to go out via proxo.

If you are halfway cautious, you block access to everything to localhost all ports except for 8080 (proxo)

Now FTP with proxo and IE, that's confusing, and no solution!

 

I think ill stick with v2.1.5 untill they get there act together and provide a simple & advanced version/modes and decrease the resource use. I used ZA a long time ago before coming to the old Tiny/Kerio and I don't have any plans on going back to something similar any time soon.

I've tested the new Kerio v4 several times now and I hate it. Nothing about it is similar to the late great v2. Why they would want to do a complete 360 is beyond me. v4 looks like it needs probably another 1 1/2 - 2 months just to get the bugs out. I just can't believe all the time they have waisted on this thing. They should of just finished testing v3 imo as that was going along much better than this v4. They have spent way to much time making this thing look pretty when they should of been focused on the usability.

 

EDITED****It just takes proper configuration to make this firewall the absolute best of them all. What a work of art

 

http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html still shows version 2.1.5