Software firewall solutions for a network

[McPudd]

Hi:

I?ve been using ZoneAlarm free a while now on a single WinXP HE SP2 system.
Seems to do the job ok. Microsoft?s firewall is toggled off.
Connection to my ISP comes via an Alcatel Speed Touch Home external
ADSL modem then a wired Linksys BEFSR41 EtherFast Cable/DSL router with
4-Port switch. I use the LAN port on an Asus P4T533-C s478/i850e motherboard.

Things are about to get more complex.

I?m soon going to build/add 2 new systems based on Asus A8N32-SLI
Deluxe nForce4 SLI X16 motherboards and add them to the network.
A new (main) system WinXP Pro SP2.
A new MS MCE 2005 (XP Pro SP2).

I want all three to share the internet connection of course and later ditto for
file sharing.

I know to stay away from/not install nVidia?s firewall software.

Does ZoneAlarm free behave well when installed on each of three systems in
a network?

Would using Kerio?s free firewall be a better option used this way?

I?d rather use free software but will pay if need be.
Can you suggest a better way to go?

NB. I avoid the use of anything from Symantec or McAfee.

Thanks in advance for any help,

 

[Atheus]

I seem to remember a problem with ZoneAlarm and ICS, not sure about Kerio.

Why not just use the firewall in the router and the windows firewall? You want to block outgoing traffic?

 

[McPudd]

Atheus:
Yes. Sometimes the best/fastest way to discover some malware is to catch the little buggers
calling out to spread themselves or invite their friends to the party.
I scan as my scanner/removers have database/program updates or I suspect
something, but in the meantime I could get badly infected/damaged.
AntiVir (resident/background); AdAware; SpyBot (inoculated); MS AntiSpyware (+shields) and
SpywareBlaster (shielding). Firefox (default browser).
All is free but as soon as someone comes up with unobtrusive/efficient rootkit scanner/remover,
I'll go with their scanner/remover even if I have to pay.
Re ZoneAlarm ... thanks for validating my suspicion.
I'll look further.

Happy Boxing Day!

 

[ivwshane]

Do you have access to another machine? Almost any old machine would work. For firewall as well as a ton of other options you can configure I would look into clarkconnect, the home version is free.

http://www.clarkconnect.com/downloads/index.php

 

[GimpyFuzznut]

I'm thinking about checking out ClarkConnect once I have my new machine setup. No more silly NIS! ClarkConnect basically works like its whole own OS correct? You can't really add more software to it right - like if I wanted to run a Torrent client off the CC machine?

 

[ivwshane]

It basically is it's own OS but there are a ton of modules available for it and I think there is a torrent module too!

I currently use mine for, web server, print server, vpn, email server, a picture gallery, and it can do a lot more than that.