The Best Free Firewalls?

Discussion in 'other firewalls' started by bgfalconboy, Jan 10, 2006.

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  1. bgfalconboy

    bgfalconboy Registered Member

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    I'm presently using ZA free version. So far its been doing a fine job for me at this point. I was just wondering if there' was other better free firewalls available. I think I remember reading in other threads about Kerio and Zygate having really good free firewalls available. Thanks for the input.
     
  2. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    I've tried those. I use GhostWall now. It's very simple. People complain theres no application filtering & no outbound control. But I've been using ProcessGuard & it does all that. So to cut out redundacy I use GhostWall.
     
  3. Alphalutra1

    Alphalutra1 Registered Member

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    Sorry to inform you, but process guard does not have any form of outbound control or application filtering. I know that PrevxR does though.

    Anyhow, I would recommend Kerio 2.1.5 as a very good free firewall or the latest version which is 4.2.3. They are both very good, but 4.2.3 is a little bloatly and not nearly as light.

    If you want the best packet filter and the lightest firewall and also want a learning experience, use CHX-I. It is similar to Ghostwall but I have not tried out Ghostwall yet. However, I can tell you that CHX-I does have SPI for TCP,UDP, and ICMP not only TCP which is a very nice feature.

    Just my opinion.

    Alphalutra1
     
  4. bgfalconboy

    bgfalconboy Registered Member

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    Would there be problems with me downloading another free firewall at all?
    I may try Kerio or someother one if its good. Having 2 firewalls wouldn't be a problem would it?
     
  5. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Big big problem!
     
  6. hollywoodpc

    hollywoodpc Registered Member

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    You can have 2 firewalls on your computer but , NOT run both together . Big no no .
     
  7. justpassing

    justpassing Guest

    Really? I thought you can have 2 antiviruses on your computer, but 2 firewalls installed are a no no, even if you just run one.
     
  8. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Hi,
    From my experience:
    ZoneAlarm - simplest, troublesome with P2P.
    Kerio - a bit slow, a bit cumbersome, not the most intuitive, solid.
    Sygate - best configuration / ease-of-use ratio, robust, light.
    Jetico - monstrously difficult configuration, extra light, superb application control, probably most beneficious and efficient but the hardest to master.
    Netveda - couldn't get this one to work. Doesn't like me.
    Mrk
     
  9. q1aqza

    q1aqza Registered Member

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    ZA 6 has no problem with P2P - well certainly not on my PC anyway.

    I find Kerio 4.2.3 a little faster than ZA in terms of browsing speed but I find it slower to startup
     
  10. brjoon1021

    brjoon1021 Registered Member

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    My experiences (I am no networking wizard, I need it to be fairly easy)

    Jetico (latest one) - too many pop-ups for me. But it is well-liked. There is a new version coming out soon according to their tech. support.

    Netveda (latest version)- Good one. Easy to use. Liked it. Reportedly a new version coming out soon.

    Filseclab (latest version) - also a good one. easy to use. Did not like my desktop machine for some reason.

    ZA- locked up or crashed both my desktop and my laptop within a week of installing. The older 5.5 did it and the 6.x version did as well.

    Kerio/Sunbelt 4.2- The one I am using on both my laptop and desktop. It is easy. As far as I know, it has never crashed nor ever locked me out of the internet. Also, there is one really big advantage to it over all of the other ones for a novice. There has been a rules set posted on the broadbandreports.com website by a guy going by Blitzenzeus that you can import.

    http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,8023708~mode=flat

    The hard work is essentially over and all you have to do, for the most part, is deal with application based pop-ups from then on. I recommend this one so far.

    Filseclab or Netveda are good as well.
     
  11. useruser

    useruser Guest

    netveda - light, fast, stealthed, no annoying popups, NAT ready

    agnitum outpost - slows internet streaming video or games

    norton - invades every aspect of your system, allows too much access to "known" software.

    kerio - somewhat cumbersome or cause system to behave strangely. eg. aol and IE stopped working together.
     
  12. squeak

    squeak Guest

    "ZA 6 has no problem with P2P"

    ZA has a known issue with winmx when you try to connect in primary mode, on some computers ZA will cause CPU usuage to climb to 100% and stay there.

    I've been using sygate for a few years and never had issues with it.
     
  13. unhappy_viewer

    unhappy_viewer Registered Member

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    ZA 6.1 should have fixed all known issues with increased CPU usage. There hasn't be anyone coming to the ZA forums to complain of high CPU usage with P2P programs anymore since v6.1 was released. If you still have high CPU usage, you should contact Zone Labs technical support:
    http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/techSupport.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=ts_home
     
  14. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

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    Hi hollywoodpc and zapjb,

    Contrary to popular belief, there are exceptions to the rule of not running more than one firewall simultaneously with another.

    On my WinXP Pro SP2 puter, I run PC-Cillin Internet Security 2005 as my primary AV with its own built-in firewall with is functionally tightly-coupled to its network virus/worm detection. If you disable the firewall, you disable its network emergency center response detection for network virus/worms.

    I also run ZoneAlarm Free with no problems encountered between the two.

    -- Tom
     
  15. BlkSpider

    BlkSpider Registered Member

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    Sunbelt Kerio Firewall is a very good firewall and since Sunbelt now owns it, it costs $14.95 till March. This is an excellent buy. The buttom line is that no firewall software will recommand running two firewalls at the same time.
     
  16. SwordOfSecurity

    SwordOfSecurity Registered Member

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    agreed. i use the free version right now, but thats still a very good deal. however, i don't really think i need those extra features so i won't bother getting the paid version for now. kerio also works like a charm for me :cool: not a single error and its very easy to setup, not to mention great in protection.
     
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