What is your choice of firewall software?

[CromNogger]

I don't know of many .. like BlackICE and ZoneAlarm. I heard BlackICE sucks ass, though. What do you use? Please suggest something small and dialup-worthy.

 

Zonealarm is the standard for software based firewalls.
Get a router with it built it, much better.

 

[HansXP]

I would agree that a hardware solution is best. If you want a software solution, go with either Zone Alarm or Norton Personal Firewall.

 

[CromNogger]

Get a router with it built it, much better.

Right now I'm not even on a network, and I don't have a static IP address. It wouldn't be wortwhile to invest (when I don't even have any money ) in a router with it built in. I know it is much better - but it's useless to me at the moment. So something like ZoneAlarm would be more practical, just for security comfort.

 

[CromNogger]

Thanks for the input, by the way.

 

[pulpp]

i still like atgaurd, its small, fast and works perfectly, plus its much more than just a firewall, it can also filter content such as ads/cookies/java/popups/activex and some other neat features, its sorta of abandonware no, since they stopped selling it.

 

[tigerbait]

I use ZoneAlarm

 

[Viper GTS]

AFAIK the common "hardware firewalls" that are being sold to broadband customers are really little more than a router, providing shielding with a layer of NAT. I run into customers frequently that have cascaded from a Cisco 67x router to a Linksys/Netgear/SMC/etc. router because they want "firewall protection." In reality, they're being completely redundant unless their ISP runs in bridging mode.

Real firewalls are terrifically expensive.

Viper GTS

 

[Alienwho]

If you are on a dialup it is not worth your time at all to get a hardware firewall. It is barely worth your time to get a software firewall if you're on dialup.

 

[CromNogger]

Real firewalls are terrifically expensive.

I know, Viper! Which is why I posted this thread in the first place.

pulpp,

Thanks, I'll give atguard a shot! Right now I'm using ZoneAlarm, for now.. I'll see what I like best.

 

[N8Magic]

An old P-200 Linux Box.

 

[TP]

ZoneAlarm Pro here, but I have been thinking about checking out Tiny, just cuz I am bored...Tiny Personal Firewall

 

[Russ]

<< I run into customers frequently that have cascaded from a Cisco 67x router to a Linksys/Netgear/SMC/etc. >>



Hey! I have that setup.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Infidelity]

I second Zone Alarm!

 

[Anghang]

Zone Alarm for me, but if cost weren't an issue and the proper hardware was obtainable, Checkpoint.

 

[Aenygma]

Zone Alarm....

 

[Mrburns2007]

Zone Alarm.....Tiny firewall is a pain in the ass to configure compared with ZA.

 

[Viper GTS]

Hey! I have that setup.

But are you using it for it's &quot;firewall&quot; capabilities, or for DHCP/NAT? Also, if you have statics then it does serve some purpose. You can have servers directly on the 'net with your user assignable addresses, &amp; devote one public address to a router to provide access to as many local machines as you want.

Although the Cisco can do that through the use of virtual IP addresses, it would be a work around for a bug in the Cisco CBOS that prevents it from routing correctly from private VIP addresses to public addresses on it's own public subnet (eg your private machines can hit anywhere on the 'net except for your own public servers).

Viper GTS

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Zonealarm and Sygate are both good. Tiny good too, but you actually have to RTFM.

 

[CromNogger]

Alright, I can see that ZoneAlarm is safe to use, but how come ZoneAlarm Pro says downloadable, yet there is no way to download it on their website or anywhere? WTF is that!

 

[gittyup]

My Netgear router with the proper filter set configuration works well for me.

 

[CromNogger]

waytoomuchcoffee,

Sygate is for internet sharing. And it's only since the very latest versions that the firewall features were actually decent at all. Before version 4, it was pretty crappy, although it did WORK well, just not the most secure thing in the world.

Anyways.. I found a link to ZoneAlarm Pro here. At first I thought, great, warez site.. But on second note, I looked at the other stuff there and realized, it was legal software - such as Miranda ICQ, Mozilla, etc. So why isn't ZA Pro available for download on their website, like they say it is?

 

[Russ]

<< But are you using it for it's &quot;firewall&quot; capabilities, or for DHCP/NAT? >>



Oh yeah, that's right. No, they're disabled. Direct pipe to the server for the static IPs, then the Linksys for the LAN.

trippy,

Actually, Sygate has a seperate firewall product. He may have been referring to that.

And, Zone Alarm Pro IS available for download at their site. It's right here.

Russ, NCNE

 

[McMadman]

I myself use atguard, even though it IS an oudated piece of software and no longer updated. Norton bought the software and used it for their firewall program. It still does most everything that I need it to, and can customize the rules pretty good to make it do almost anything.

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

<< waytoomuchcoffee,

Sygate is for internet sharing. And it's only since the very latest versions that the firewall features were actually decent at all. Before version 4, it was pretty crappy, although it did WORK well, just not the most secure thing in the world. >>



Oh yeah, forgot he was on dial-up. Anyway you are right about earlier versions of Sygate, it was not very good. It's much better now. See this overview for a review along with pros/cons. Actually, this site is very good at updating the pros/cons of personal software based firewalls, but might be too much tech stuff for beginners.