How useful is XP's firewall?

[authenticate]

I have just upgraded from Windows 2000 Pro to XP Pro and was pleasantly surprised to find that it came with an internet firewall. However, a cursory look at the help file has led me to think that this is a very simple tool and merely blocks access from the internet. I used to run ZoneLabs (free) ZoneAlarm and I am thinking that maybe I should go back to running it now that I am on XP. What should I do?

 

[Mem]

Use the Zone Alarm firewall,I actually use Sygate firewall rather then the WinXP one.The XP one is basic and decent firewall programs like Zone Alarm,Sygate,Tiny will give you better firewall with more options.

 

[Derango]

There's a couple of problems with the winXP firewall.

First, it dosen't block traffic that you don't want going out. This makes it hard to tell if you've been infected by some type of a trojan. Zone alarm would probably alert you to the fact that somthing you didn't give permission to send data is trying to do so.

Second, Its not very customizable. You have to live with what microsoft's idea of safe traffic is. That makes it hard to diagnose problems such as the firewall blocking packets you don't want it to block, ect.

 

[serialb]

Windows XP's firewall is pretty much a NAT-based firewall. It functions like the one Linksys routers do.

 

[authenticate]

Thanks I'll run up ZoneAlarm again then.