Firewalls

  • Thread starter Thread starter Crispy
  • Start date Start date
C

Crispy

I know I should install a Firewall and I do have the internal XP firewall
turned on in XP Pro - But would, say, the Norton Firewall 2003 be a better
bet?

Any views on which has the advantage and what would I gain or lose by using
either?

Thanks in advance
 
hi,

It depends on what you want to do. The built in firewall protects your
client just fine, but doesn't have many configuration options. If you want
more control over how the firewall is configured one of the many 3rd
firewalls may be of interest to you.

Thanks,
Marc Reynolds
Microsoft Technical Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
Zone Alarm (in terms of a software firewall) is considered
one of the best out there, and the basic version is free
(www.zonealarm.com). The Pro version let's you turn
cookies, ads, and keeps scripts from running (very usefull
when you are "googleing" to an unfamiliar website). It
not only monitors/blocks someone trying to get it, it also
notifies you of "phone home" programs trying to get out
AND it will check your email. I've used Norton's Internet
Security, but find it clunky/difficut to use. There is
often no real guide as to how to answer an alert, while
Zone Alarm allows you to connect to their website for
additional information before you decide whether or not to
give the program the access it is requesting.

Check out this review:
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111137,00.asp

Routers are effective hardware firewalls, altho they don't
block or notify you of the "phone homes"

After you select a firewall, go to www.grc.com and run
Shields UP (a well-known site to check how well you are
protected.)

Shawn
 
Greetings --

WinXP's built-in firewall is fine at stopping incoming attacks, and
hiding all of your ports from probes. It doesn't give you any alarms
to tell you that it is working, though. What WinXP also does not do,
is protect you from any Trojans or spyware that you might download and
install inadvertently. It doesn't monitor out-going traffic at all,
much less block (or at least ask you about) the bad or the
questionable out-going packets.

ZoneAlarm, Kerio, or Sygate are much better, and there are a free
versions available. Personally, I've been very happy with Symantec's
Norton Internet Security 2002 (NIS 2004 is now available), which
includes Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, parental
controls, privacy controls, and ad blocking. (Just the elimination of
many of the pop-up ads on the Internet made the price worth-while to
me.)


Bruce Chambers

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