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Windows Firewall in WXP SP2 is more than enough for most purposes. But in corporate networks, that's not exactly what you'd be using - it was designed for the newbie and home-users, and fulfils its mandate perfectly.
If I had to buy a firewall, I'd use ZoneAlarm 5.1 Security Suite. A complete firewall+identity security+antiVirus solution. info
If I had to buy a firewall, I'd use ZoneAlarm 5.1 Security Suite. A complete firewall+identity security+antiVirus solution. info
freshseasons
King of my own Castle
Zone Alarm is the best But But BUT ....how u configue its access attempt is the most important thing...i think the permission u give for programme to acces net is the most important thing ...Which firewall comes latter...Coz with ur permissions u can make even the strongest firewall weakest and viceversa
it_waaznt_me
Coming back to life ..
Zone Alarm for me ...
pradeep_chauhan
Cyborg Agent
well i am a bit late to join in this thread but i would like to share my setup(please by no way it is the best / ideal setup) ok so here goes
1. went to a secondhand pc dealer "big apple" got a p3 machine for rs 4000/- without monitor mouse keyboard
2. load fedora and config dialup and iptables.
3. patch it to main machine running xp sp2
4. load putty on windows machine
5. dialup to inet (or any unsecure network) on the p3 machine
6. enjoy safe and secure existance behind the p3 machine
This setup has served me well till date .
regards pradeep
1. went to a secondhand pc dealer "big apple" got a p3 machine for rs 4000/- without monitor mouse keyboard
2. load fedora and config dialup and iptables.
3. patch it to main machine running xp sp2
4. load putty on windows machine
5. dialup to inet (or any unsecure network) on the p3 machine
6. enjoy safe and secure existance behind the p3 machine
This setup has served me well till date .
regards pradeep
luckyrocker
Broken In
My test results
If you can pay then
1) Agnitum Outpost 2.1 Firewall is "the" best.
2) Look 'n' Stop pro
or else
Kerio
Zone Alarm
Sygate
Go here to check which one of the free versions is the best.
*www.pcflank.com/art21.htm
IMHO free versions of all firewalls are useless. You can check how much protection you get from your firewalls (free or paid) by performing some leak tests. There are a total of 8 leak tests that can be performed. I have tested McAfee, Norton, Agnitum Outpost(free and Paid), Sygate(Free and Paid), Zone Alarm (Free and Paid).Out of these I list in descending order of score, when i tested them:
1) Agnitum Outpost 2.1 8/8
2) Kerio Pro 7/8
3) Look 'n' Stop Pro 2 6/8
4) Zone Alarm pro 6/8
5) Sygate Pro 6/8
6) McAfee Pro 4/8
7) Norton 3/8
Of all these the free versions of the firewalls were not nearly as good as the paid versions.
Only
Kerio,
Zone Alarm
Sygate
provided any kind of security.
In any way whenever you install any firewall i suggest you test them using the leak tests, and come to your own conclusion as to which is the best.
luckyrocker
If you can pay then
1) Agnitum Outpost 2.1 Firewall is "the" best.
2) Look 'n' Stop pro
or else
Kerio
Zone Alarm
Sygate
Go here to check which one of the free versions is the best.
*www.pcflank.com/art21.htm
IMHO free versions of all firewalls are useless. You can check how much protection you get from your firewalls (free or paid) by performing some leak tests. There are a total of 8 leak tests that can be performed. I have tested McAfee, Norton, Agnitum Outpost(free and Paid), Sygate(Free and Paid), Zone Alarm (Free and Paid).Out of these I list in descending order of score, when i tested them:
1) Agnitum Outpost 2.1 8/8
2) Kerio Pro 7/8
3) Look 'n' Stop Pro 2 6/8
4) Zone Alarm pro 6/8
5) Sygate Pro 6/8
6) McAfee Pro 4/8
7) Norton 3/8
Of all these the free versions of the firewalls were not nearly as good as the paid versions.
Only
Kerio,
Zone Alarm
Sygate
provided any kind of security.
In any way whenever you install any firewall i suggest you test them using the leak tests, and come to your own conclusion as to which is the best.
luckyrocker
luckyrocker
Broken In
also
Also i've been using outpost for a long time and nothing gets past it without me knowing of it, and i do mean nothing, no crack dialers, no spyware buttons in explorer .... and the like.
Also i've been using outpost for a long time and nothing gets past it without me knowing of it, and i do mean nothing, no crack dialers, no spyware buttons in explorer .... and the like.
pradeep_chauhan
Cyborg Agent
dont be so sure, to check if it does something naughty open a net connection without the fiewall start a ethernet sniffer like ethereal and start capturing the outgoing packets now start the firewall and see if it generates any outgoing traffic. i was using zonealarm for the past four years and was shocked to find that zonealarm initiates a self connection to its home server on startup.
luckyrocker
Broken In
so does outpost
..so does outpost,norton, Mcafee...
..so does outpost,norton, Mcafee...
pradeep_chauhan
Cyborg Agent
So do you think this is what a perfect fire wall should do ? I dont think so. Any software connecting to the outside world without specific permission from the user SHOULD be blocked. Take a tip from iptables the most secure firewalls are build using these. Moral of the story is that the firewall is a guarding angel, someone you trust you dont expect it to cheat on you.
rajendra99
Broken In
The firewall that came with WinXP SP2 has made my surfing very difficult. Only the trusted sites open. Earlier I used ZA. Can I uninstall this SP2 firewll & install ZA 5.1? No problem on RAM, I got 1 GB.
luckyrocker
Broken In
sure
of course not... that is not wot a "perfect" firewall should do. But we don't live in a "perfect" world. Guardian Angel or not we seem to forget that these are commercial tools that get the commercial software firms their bread and butter, and for them feedback and information are important tools. Why do you think companies like sygate, zoneLabs, Agnitum...etc release free versions for their software?it's definitely not for the good karma.
Sure iptables is a great foundation for a firewall but even iptables is not "perfect" so to speak.. I do luv the project none-the-less, I only wish more commercials firms would implement it.
*www.netfilter.org/security/index.html
of course not... that is not wot a "perfect" firewall should do. But we don't live in a "perfect" world. Guardian Angel or not we seem to forget that these are commercial tools that get the commercial software firms their bread and butter, and for them feedback and information are important tools. Why do you think companies like sygate, zoneLabs, Agnitum...etc release free versions for their software?it's definitely not for the good karma.
Sure iptables is a great foundation for a firewall but even iptables is not "perfect" so to speak.. I do luv the project none-the-less, I only wish more commercials firms would implement it.
*www.netfilter.org/security/index.html
pradeep_chauhan
Cyborg Agent
please please it seems i have hurt your sentiments carry on doing whatever you want. Have Fun.
luckyrocker
Broken In
lol
lol...
wot was tht all about...
i m juz sharing wot i know ..
no hard feelings here.. :roll:
lol...
wot was tht all about...
i m juz sharing wot i know ..
no hard feelings here.. :roll:
esumitkumar
Call me Sumit
ZONE ALARM
sidewinder
Ambassador of Buzz
Zap is best but i cant use it .I use sygate.I miss the ad blocking function of zap a lot.Can u guys suggest me a soft that can block web ad s
allajunaki
Journeyman
Da Best Security , Unplug from all networks...! 
On a more serious note SP2 Firewall is good enough.... I used to use ZoneAlarm... But i was impressed by the sp2's built in firewall... (Totally Revamped , nothing like the original XP firewall). what i laiked the most is the option to selectivly open ports apart from Application permission that is available in sp2....
So if u dont have SP2 and have lots of hardware to spare, then go for zonealarm. other wise update to SP2
On a more serious note SP2 Firewall is good enough.... I used to use ZoneAlarm... But i was impressed by the sp2's built in firewall... (Totally Revamped , nothing like the original XP firewall). what i laiked the most is the option to selectivly open ports apart from Application permission that is available in sp2....
So if u dont have SP2 and have lots of hardware to spare, then go for zonealarm. other wise update to SP2
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