newbie trying to decide between ZA and Sygate?

Hi
I am new to using firewalls. I have a router that has NAT but after reading up found out that I should also be using a software based firewall. XP firewall doesnt let me connect via ICQ so I went hunting and found, Sygate and ZA free versions. I am hooked through cable so I am connected all the time. I don't like shutting down my computer since I am on it off and on all the time. When I reboot sygate askes if I want to allow generic host 32? I have no idea why it askes me this three times sometimes four. Should I be allowing it? I cant find out exactly what it is. Should I be using sygate or ZA? I have read some of the threads since finding this site today and ZA was the one mentioned but I didnt find any mention of sygate.
Any help and advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
Patti

 

Hi Patti

Welcome to Wilders .

Without knowing what specific type of communication it was trying to make, it is hard to say. Most likely something required by the system - DHCP or DNS. In which case you would want to allow outbound connections, but not inbound. Be sure to double check any application rules in Sygate as I believe they default to allowing inbound connections (allow to act as a server), something you do not want to do.

A couple of links that may provide some more answers:
http://forums.sygatetech.com/vb/
http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/i/k/ikpe/

Both are good firewalls, it will be a matter of which one you are most comfortable with using and configuring.

Regards,

CrazyM

 

Thank you so much. I will try to figure out what the 32 thing is that it is asking for. I know there are several for the operating system just didnt know why they would need to connect. and I will also check and make sure nothing is marked as server.
Patti