firewall recomendations

w00dsy · Post by **w00dsy** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 3:11 pm

so dudes and dudettes, which is the best firewall? I don't mind zonealarm, but i find it is really annoying. I mainly just run my router and the sp2 firewall, but i got a nasty xmas day so i'd like to batten down the hatches a bit better i think.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 3:26 pm

I like Kaspersky Not to many people have heard of it. Their anti virus software is second to none. It came first in a test APC did. Their firewall came third i think it was.

nutty · Post by **nutty** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:30 pm

I personally got over personal firewall years ago.

I decided to commisson that old k6/2 500 sitting in the corner to become my firewall machine, running a dedicated firewall is fantastic.
Not only do you not have to worry about running some stupid firewall program that always a million questions you dont care about. "Would you like this program to access the net" "Firewall picked up a attack on port 3132"
Its great for managing the 4 pc's on my network, and with all the features of any expencive modem/router its worth the hour or so that goes into setup.

I use http://www.ipcop.org by the way

smithcorp · Post by **smithcorp** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:36 pm

Rod, Kerio personal firewall isfree and fine for me. Scores well on stealthiness too I understand (braces self for firewall fanboi attack).

w00dsy · Post by **w00dsy** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:37 pm

nutty wrote:I personally got over personal firewall years ago.

I decided to commisson that old k6/2 500 sitting in the corner to become my firewall machine, running a dedicated firewall is fantastic.
Not only do you not have to worry about running some stupid firewall program that always a million questions you dont care about. "Would you like this program to access the net" "Firewall picked up a attack on port 3132"
Its great for managing the 4 pc's on my network, and with all the features of any expencive modem/router its worth the hour or so that goes into setup.

I use http://www.ipcop.org by the way

i did the linux box firewall thing a year or two back, it had some terrific advantages. If i had the room and the bits i'd probably do it again. Norbs got me set up with Clarkconnect. The only downside was my wife wasn't too keen on having a pc running 24/7.

Smithy, i have Kerio installed now and it seems quite good. I did a little bit of research and it rates well.

c.j · Post by **c.j** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:45 am

Gizmo wrote:I like Kaspersky Not to many people have heard of it. Their anti virus software is second to none. It came first in a test APC did. Their firewall came third i think it was.

Thats what alot of us use from XGN... not as popular, so less ppl target it, and it works a treat, well as far as i know

macca · Post by **macca** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 12:28 pm

smithcorp wrote:(braces self for firewall fanboi attack).

DarrenM · Post by **DarrenM** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:25 pm

in my opinion if your router has firewalling/NAT capabilities, your just adding bloat by running a software firewall as well.

But then, I've never run anti virus software either (and never had a virus), so I guess I'm just not paranoid enough.

w00dsy · Post by **w00dsy** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:22 pm

DarrenM wrote:
But then, I've never run anti virus software either (and never had a virus)

then how do you know?

Pinger$ · Post by **Pinger$** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:13 pm

I've heard that before

...sure enough they're infected with something. Not neccesarily a harmful virus, but a virus nonetheless.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 8:27 am

I tried the zoneAlarm too and hated it. Used the kerio (old version) for a few years, it was good but can't handle local networking.
Tried the new kerio too, after that, but it kept hanging...
I use the sygate pfw for a couple of years now - as I remember the only problem with it nowadays is that you cannot download it anymore, somebody bought it out.

It's an excellent choice otherwise.

Darren, we all wish you the best of luck, I have a feeling you need it all.

DarrenM · Post by **DarrenM** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:39 am

iRod wrote:
DarrenM wrote:
But then, I've never run anti virus software either (and never had a virus)
then how do you know?

Because I run a scan every now and then out of curiosity and because I've never had any problems with the running of my machines.

Viruses don't come from nowhere. If you use your brain you won't get them. The fact that I'm the only person that uses my pc, and that I've never used outlook and very rarely use ie is also a huge help. As I said, if your router has a firewall, there is absolutely no point running one on your pc as well.

I don't need luck. As proven by my lack of problems in 10+ years of computing.

Best of luck living in irrational fear of attack though. Best run 3 firewalls just in case. Oh wait, you are.

ysu · Post by **ysu** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:27 pm

I'm sorry mate but if you technical knowledge is telling you that the nat router is secure enough against anything you do need the luck. Seems you have it too.

My 20+ yrs of computing xp is the base for this. (for me that is. I can almost hear you saying the hell it proves nothing. good on you.)

Nat firewall only protects you from certain attacks and from outside only.
Even the best firewall cannot protect you from everything, that's where the virus protection is needed.
Better be safe than sorry.
IE and outlook are indeed the worst, but not the only ones which can get some nasties on your machine.

Hell, there were mag CD's infected in the past...

Anyway, it's up to you, I really hope you'll be ok in the future too.

by the way I do agree that the best 1st level protection is one's brain!

Scuderia_Alan · Post by **Scuderia_Alan** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 1:39 pm

I believe the router firewall only route is called the "caramel lolly", hard on the outside but soft and chewy inside.

w00dsy · Post by **w00dsy** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 2:58 pm

DarrenM wrote:
iRod wrote:
DarrenM wrote:
But then, I've never run anti virus software either (and never had a virus)
then how do you know?
Because I run a scan every now and then out of curiosity and because I've never had any problems with the running of my machines.

Viruses don't come from nowhere. If you use your brain you won't get them. The fact that I'm the only person that uses my pc, and that I've never used outlook and very rarely use ie is also a huge help. As I said, if your router has a firewall, there is absolutely no point running one on your pc as well.

I don't need luck. As proven by my lack of problems in 10+ years of computing.

Best of luck living in irrational fear of attack though. Best run 3 firewalls just in case. Oh wait, you are.

well you've obviously labelled me as a paranoid idiot who visits dodgy sites

I don't use IE(Firefox or maybe Opera), i don't use any sort of email client, it's only web based email that has virus scanners like Gmail(which also doesn't allow dodgy files). Like you i am also the only one that uses my pc. And you musn't have read right, i am using 1 firewall, not 3. If you use your brain you'll see i said that already. I am far from worried about getting attacked, after all it's only files, no real big deal, but if running a virus program and a basic firewall can stop me from having the sort of hassles i did xmas day, then so be it. It's not big deal.

anyone that wants darrens ip address just PM me