I had heard before that the firewall zone alarm has problems with peer 2 peer applications. I primarily use bit torrent and dc++ and whilst I haven't noticed any changes in speed i do seemed to have blocked an extremely large amount of inbound connections which i can only guess were due to peer 2 peer use.

Any comments on this or suggestions on other better firewalls to use?

Zonealarm has way too many problems with way too many programs. It also reports too many false alarms (maybe that's why it's called zonealarm) and makes its users uber-paranoid. Just use window's own firewall, it's adequate enough.

I am trying out Zone Alarm, and have 3 days left. Looking at a firewall for my PC, which one should I get?

Thanks guys

I am trying out Zone Alarm, and have 3 days left. Looking at a firewall for my PC, which one should I get?

Thanks guys

Yes, forget about ZoneAlarm, or any other 3rd Party firewall, and stick with the inbuilt Windows XP Firewall....that is if you are using Windows XP.

If you have broadband and you are using a router then the router acts as a hardware firewall.

I am trying out Zone Alarm, and have 3 days left. Looking at a firewall for my PC, which one should I get?

Thanks guys

Yes, forget about ZoneAlarm, or any other 3rd Party firewall, and stick with the inbuilt Windows XP Firewall....that is if you are using Windows XP.

If you have broadband and you are using a router then the router acts as a hardware firewall.

I use Zonealarm and Limewire P2P no problems here.

I am trying out Zone Alarm, and have 3 days left. Looking at a firewall for my PC, which one should I get?

Thanks guys

Yes, forget about ZoneAlarm, or any other 3rd Party firewall, and stick with the inbuilt Windows XP Firewall....that is if you are using Windows XP.

If you have broadband and you are using a router then the router acts as a hardware firewall.

I use Zonealarm and Limewire P2P no problems here.

I use Windows XP Firewall with Limewire Pro without problems.....stick with the Windows XP inbuilt firewall. Why pay for something that you have already?

Thanks.... I have a wireless D-link Router ( DST-603 i think ) which has some protection in it I think , but never really thought it and XP were that good.

Thanks for the advice.........

I am trying out Zone Alarm, and have 3 days left. Looking at a firewall for my PC, which one should I get?

Thanks guys

Yes, forget about ZoneAlarm, or any other 3rd Party firewall, and stick with the inbuilt Windows XP Firewall....that is if you are using Windows XP.

If you have broadband and you are using a router then the router acts as a hardware firewall.

I use Zonealarm and Limewire P2P no problems here.

I use Windows XP Firewall with Limewire Pro without problems.....stick with the Windows XP inbuilt firewall. Why pay for something that you have already?

Zonealarm Pro was free still is if you know what to do

I can't see why to install a second Firewall when XP has its own.

Please tell me why you have a second Firewall installed, just curious.

I had problems with zonealarm, however comodo is ok.

http://www.comodogroup.com/products/index.html

firewall of linksys cisco sistem router wga54g plus sygate pro

this is the only server that you can fins again sygate freeware

http://207.33.111.31/spf/spf5.5b2710.exe

Well, when I used Zone alarm, it asked me to approve things. For example, when you install some software which is local, for some strange ( well not really ) reason, the software tried to make outbound calls to some server. I dont like my computer making such outbound "calls" (connections) without me knowing. Windows firewall does not alert you to such things. Zone Alarm did, and I blocked some things I dont want.

Cheers. ( whats this "if your in the know about zone alarm " )

I can't see why to install a second Firewall when XP has its own.

Please tell me why you have a second Firewall installed, just curious.

My Son is a IT guy and said the Windows Firewall is not the greatest thats why I did

If a firewall is easy to setup, easy to use and seldomly complain even though you're surfing the net a lot - its because there has been a tradeoff between protection and ease of use.

I know a few guys who also swear to Windows' built in firewall. They've never had any problems with it, it just runs without ever making itself noticed - meaning it has never blocked anything they know of!

I guess most people - at least in this thread - will find ZoneAlarm too tedious.

I can't talk about the free version of ZoneAlarm - haven't used it the last 10 years. Nowadays, I use their full security suite, which includes virus- and spyware-protection. It takes the h#ll of a work to set it up, teaching it to allow only, what you know you want it to allow - but as a result you have full control your computer (except for the usual precaution, that no computer is fully protected unless its never turned on).

When installing new programs - disconnect your PC from any network (including switching off eventual wireless gates) and close down your firewall, virus-protection or whatever might react against the setup processes.

firewall of linksys cisco sistem router wga54g plus sygate pro

this is the only server that you can fins again sygate freeware

http://207.33.111.31/spf/spf5.5b2710.exe

hi'

I have to agree with this, I use a cisco routeur with a built in firewall in it, the one and only firewall working with no conflict is Sygate perso firewall(free!)

in version 5.6 now and forever, because sygate was bought by symantec lately

so the update is norton firewall for a rough 40$

but, sygate 5.6 is fine

you need to disable the windows firewall in the contol center and set the service as disabled and stop it

francois

ps; ms firewall is ok but you have no control on outgoing packets

francois,i need to say that the version 5.6 is instable and beta,in many machines make problem about crash and instability,not in all users,somebody

the link that i write permit to you to download the version 5.5 build 2710 that is not beta and stable ,final

only for helpfull,i write this,if you see some problem,try to install this but need to clean your pc and registry very well before install new version

I can't see why to install a second Firewall when XP has its own.

Please tell me why you have a second Firewall installed, just curious.

My Son is a IT guy and said the Windows Firewall is not the greatest thats why I did

XP firewall is sufficient for home use, but in an enterprise setting nothing more than a joke. Windows firewall does not work with many of Microsofts own products.... Such as SMS.. It doesn't allow the sms client to communicate with the server...

XP fire wall does what is needed for the home user, blocks unused ports, and when used next to a good anti virus and anti spyware product can be rather efficient.

I've been using the free version for years and never had a problem.

The best thing as others said is the capability to control outgoing data.

90% of software you install, connects to some server without asking your permission, once you accept their condition and procede to install they can gather and transmit all they want from your HD.

Yes it won't likely happen with a well known company to mess with your personal infos, but how many "obscure" software we all install on our pcs? Not to mention the Pantip or Torrent stuff, do you think it takes much work for a cracker to install some sort of spyware in its key generator/patch ? Nope!

Using only XP firewall is a big risk if you ask me.

i agree totally with you

xp firewall doesn't worry about your privacy and about outgoing packets never work