internet firewall

rosconey · « **on:** 6 Dec 2003, 03:22 pm »

looking for a new one-bought a mcafee but its junk, have been getting a 302 code when i try to update for about 3 months now and they insist its busy servers

so its time to find another , im sick of the headaches

anyone use the panda , norton or pc-cillin
thanx

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #1 on:** 6 Dec 2003, 04:58 pm »

Rosconey, I use the McAfee Firewall Express that is a freebie with AOL 9.0.....seems to work modestly (at least blocks and asks me to grant access to programs) and I have a (according to my tech guy) very good hardware firewall built in to my router.

I have been told a far more efective firewall is hardware based, not software. Ever try a router? Even if you have only one machine on it. There are probably others around AC that could add more to this topic than I, a low tech chairguy.

The new version of Symantec's venerable Norton Anti-Virus and Norton's Firewall can be found on new-ish package Norton Internet Security. My tech guy recommends it for anyone not on a good hardware firewall. He told me just yesterday that it has a $30 rebate on it now to get it established in the market.

Because I have reasonably good (none are impervious to good hackers) duplicative firewalls (software and hardware), I use Norton SystemWorks..includes Anti-Virus and a host of very useful diagnostic and fix it aids for system, and Windows glitches.

jqp · « **Reply #2 on:** 6 Dec 2003, 05:57 pm »

A hardware firewall is probably a requirement for always on network connections. They can be had for less than $50 nowadays. Linksys, Netgear, D-Link are 3 good ones you can get at BB, etc.

I use ZoneAlarm which takes things a step further and lets you decide what gets in and what gets out. There is still a free version I think. I got the ZoneAlarm Pro which is good for 4 PCs at home for about $30. Do you want your machine to be a server on the internet for Port 80? Then get something like this.

Thump553 · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Dec 2003, 08:55 pm »

I second the preference for a hardware firewall. I've had experience with both linksys and d-link. Both are pretty good, d-link may have the edge in ease of configuring and clarity of documentation (they have an excellent FAQ section on their webpage telling you, step by step, how to configure your router for particular games and applications.

By the way, I got a d-link router from ecost about two weeks ago for $5 after rebates (assuming they come in) and $35 before rebates. The price on this stuff is coming way down.

EchiDna · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Dec 2003, 11:43 pm »

call me paranoid, but I've got a router with hardware firewall and I also run Zonealarm Pro on my machines here at home...

cjr888 · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Dec 2003, 01:14 am »

I personally would second the idea of hardware+software firewall, especially if you don't plan on constantly managing the firewall rules on the hardware one.

Home user is typically accessing much more external content and services, and adding/removing applications that need access to the net or web at large.

With the software firewall, though annoying at first, you're continually being notified of both access attempts from internal and external, and given the choice of how to manage future requests.

Security is multi-layered, and attacks don't all occur from the outside, and aren't always hack attempts or worms attempting to hit your system. You have plenty of exposure to compromise, and your system can now be the source of attacks towards other systems, or collecting information on your accounts and data and sending it outbound, while the firewall believes its all trusted content.

Example on a fully patched MS system -- IE has what, 6-7 known vulnerabilities and exploits for which no patch currently exists? So you visit a webpage that uses one of these exploits, or download a piece of software that uses one.. Now, you have you hardware firewall there, have already been exploited, and now your system, using processes you thought you trusted, are now sending information somewhere else, with the firewall assuming its a trusted source.

guest1632 · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Jan 2004, 04:10 am »

Quote from: rosconey

looking for a new one-bought a mcafee but its junk, have been getting a 302 code when i try to update for about 3 months now and they insist its busy servers :lol: :lol: :lol: so its time to find another , im sick of the headaches :evil:
anyone use the panda , norton or pc-cillin
thanx

Well, have read all of the posts here. At least a hardware based router, by its nature has the built-in firewall. Don't know about the software ones. I do tech support, and have seen issues with the older Norton Internet security. I'd suggest zonealarm. still can get the free one. Hope that helps.

JohnR · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Jan 2004, 05:48 am »

Quote from: EchiDna

call me paranoid, but I've got a router with hardware firewall and I also run Zonealarm Pro on my machines here at home...

You're paranoid!

Well, I have to ask why? My DSL modem doesn't let anything in unless I tell it to (port forwarding to my server). Do u suspect your router of being buggy? hackable?

Quote from: cjr888

Now, you have you hardware firewall there, have already been exploited, and now your system, using processes you thought you trusted, are now sending information somewhere else, with the firewall assuming its a trusted source.

Um, you trusted MS software?

J/K

Could you give a more specific example of what kind of activity this is?

EchiDna · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Jan 2004, 06:50 am »

actually John 3 times my hardware router (US Robotics) has allowed traffic past it which has been caught by zone alarm pro... each time it has been kids playing around while i was online playing games... so somehow the router (or the game software itself) must open ports it shouldn't when i play online games...

droliver · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Jan 2004, 05:56 pm »

I had a lot of problems with Zone Alarm Pro & a # of websites working well. I recently went back to the free version which works much better in that sense (there's some pop-up features on the PRO version which don't work so well I guess). I use a free pop-up blocker PopUp Killer which can be found on the web with it & work great

Ferdi · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Jan 2004, 04:36 pm »

I have used Smoothwall in the past and it has worked well for me. I used the GPL version up to 1.0.
You need a spare PC but of such low specification that you should be able to find one for free. Come and pick one up here...

I currently rely on the Firewall in my DSL router (Alcatel 510 V4). Possibly not the smartest but www.GRC.com gives it a clean bill of health.

Good luck

internet firewall

guest1632