Firewall?

[victore]

I want to install a firewall on my computer, but I dont really know what to look for in a firewall. Can anyone help me out? I am running Windows XP Home. I also wanted to know whether it was a good idea to have multiple firewalls? Thanks.:)

[ErnieK]

Hi there Victore and WELCOME to the forums

If you follow the link below this will take you to ZOne Alarm firewall (Free version) Nice and easy to set up and use.

http://www.uant.net/firewall/zonealarmguide.html

[classicsoftware]

Zone Alarm is Excellent. I also use it some of my PC's The best one I have found is:

Sygate (http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm)

Many members also like:

Kerio (http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html)

[PrntRhd]

I also wanted to know whether it was a good idea to have multiple firewalls?
No, run only one software firewall on a PC at a time. All of the recommended firewalls are excellent software firewalls BTW.
You CAN run a combination of a hardware based firewall like one in a router and a software firewall on each PC.
Some of our advanced users use an old/obsolete PC running Linux with Smoothwall application software which works well as a firewall/router.

Welcome to the forums!

[Donn]

if you have trouble with zone alarm, and some Xp and Me users do, take a look at Sygate:

Free Sygate firewall:
http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm


Here's some good resource for you to take a look at also:

On-line scans:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

http://www.pandasoftware.es/actives...ivescan-com.asp


Diagnostics:
Jason’s Browser Security Test:

http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/

Gibson tests:
http://www.grc.com/default.htm

I use LeakTest, DCOMbobulator, ShieldsUp, and UnplugNpray

Merijn:

http://www.subratam.org/?page=removal

XP resource info:

www.blackviper.com

http://grc.com/dos/xpsummary.htm

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp

:)

[PrntRhd]

What you want to look for in a software firewall is the ability to control and monitor data packets going out from the computer as well as coming in to the computer.

Zone Alarm is an "applications based" firewall, you get alterted if a new program wants to send data off the PC and you get to choose "allow or block".

Kerio and Sygate are "rules based" firewalls, more configurable and quite tough to defeat, but harder to set up initially.

[victore]

Thanks for all of the replies guys, they really helped. I think I'll try Sygate, but if I have problems configuring it, I'll just get Zone Alarm. Again, thanks for all the quick replies and help.