A Firewall for WinXP? - newbee Questions

[cockeyed]

After all of the recent internet attacks, I'am thinking about a Firewall to protect my system. However, I am a newbee when it comes to Firewalls. I have my HomeXP set to "protect," but I'am not sure if it does any good. Some research I've been doing makes it seem to me that a Firewall is a good idea. Products from Norton, McAfee, Zone Alarm, Kerio and Agnitum Outpost all appear to be good; some are freeware in a lesser version. I even heard that just using a router, acts as a firewall; a cheap one could be had for $20.

Any suggestions for a firewall that is easy to use for a newbee, works well and doesn't mess up system performance?

One other thing. If Firewalls are so effective, why wouldn't Microsoft offer a good one as an add-on product?

 

[TlitJ]

My home network has the router firewall plus personal software firewalls on each computer. You can get a basic free one for your needs.

I use (both free):

Windows XP machines: Zonealarm

Linux machine: Guarddog (as a front end to manipulate rules).

 

[Idoxash]

For a dial up user like my self what would be the best to use: Windows XP firewall that comes with the OS or ZoneAlarm. I hear that ZoneAlarm will cause dial users to be slower. If this is because it's a firewall then would the XP firewall cause dial up users to be slow as well? Another "?" I have is that if you install ZoneAlarm should you turn off the Windows XP firewall first? Any answers would be great, thanks.

--Idoxash

 

[Agamar]

To block the latest worms, XP's built in firewall would have worked.

 

[crisp82]

Xp has a built in Firewall, which is on by default. This works well enough for me.

 

[cockeyed]

I did a little more digging and found some helpful info re: firewalls, in a book titled, " Windows XP Annoyances" published by O'Reilly. The book provides the "how to " that I needed to set-up my system. After reading this, I feel that the built-in XP firewall should be fine for my system. I liked that I didn't have to try and figure out all of the, "what do I do's" in the other fire walls I've tried; Xp firewall works without my interaction. I also used the Services Configuration guide from blackviper.com and set the XP services to Safe mode, which disables areas that could provide an open door to the internet.

 

[Idoxash]

Yeah I know it works for that last worm cause everyone localy got it but me and after i ask i find out that they had disable the firewalls while mines was on.

--Idoxash

 

[firewall]

ZoneAlarm's free version is the best and one of the most popular firewalls. I don't remember WinXP's firewall asking me to allow internet access to programs which popped up automatically which was more than often the cause of slowing up of my dialup connection. You get program control as well as security against unauthorised interusions(I am quite sure other programs offer these features too.....not saying anything against them but personally i like zonealarm best).