Does Vista Home Premium have a built in firewall?

[Muse]

I just helped my brother set up his new Dell Inspiron 530 Vista Home Premium machine a few days ago. It was kind of a rush job and forgot to check to see if what I assume is the built in firewall is active and happy. Is this a foregone conclusion?

I uninstalled the Macafee Security Center stuff because I think they are all part of a 30 day trial system. I downloaded and installed AVG Free 8.x and Superantispyware, basic free version.

 

[Zugzwang152]

Vista Home Premium includes Windows Firewall and is enabled by default.

 

[Lemon law]

Two general comments not just directed to Muse. Unlike the windows XP firewall, the Vista firewall is a two way firewall and its quite a bit better than the XP Sp2 firewall. If one takes the trouble, the Vista firewall can be configured through the group policy editor.

While there is nothing wrong with superantispyware, in 30 days your AVG free edition will lose its incoming email pre scanning. I would then say you would be better off with the highly similar Avast that remains free and full featured.

 

[Lemon law]

Accidental double posts.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Two general comments not just directed to Muse. Unlike the windows XP firewall, the Vista firewall is a two way firewall and its quite a bit better than the XP Sp2 firewall. If one takes the trouble, the Vista firewall can be configured through the group policy editor.

While there is nothing wrong with superantispyware, in 30 days your AVG free edition will lose its incoming email pre scanning. I would then say you would be better off with the highly similar Avast that remains free and full featured.

Hmm. I was running AVG Free 7.5 for a long time and I don't think it lost its email prescreening. Is the new 8.0 version different that way? Myself, I'm running XP Pro (My brother's on Vista).

 

[akhilles]

Exactly, that's why I use Vista firewall for both inbound & outbound control. Works like a champ. I'm behind a router, BTW. And a biz-class firewall to be inserted in my LAN.