Looking for a trustable freeware firewall program

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Operaghost

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
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I have a cable connection and a couple of questions.

1. Why are hardware firewalls considered better than software for broadband connections?
2. I will most likely be looking to go wireless when I move in 2 weeks so can anyone suggest a reliable wireless cable router with a firewall?
3. If I don't go hardware, what is a trusted freeware firewall I could use? Kerio?
 
Zonealarm seems to be pretty popular. I hate it though.
 
Kerio is my first pick.
The older version 2.1.5 is the most basic one, and it's the one that I like best. You'll need to Google for it, but it's worth the effort. It stealths every port, except 139. ZoneAlarm's freeware version stealths that port, if it matters to you, but ZA seems to use more resources on the rig that I used it on. Still, it is very good, too. Either way, you can't lose.



...reliable wireless cable router...
Click to expand...
Not meant to stir up controversy, but these words don't fit, in my opinion. We've had several wireless routers fail on our small network at work...not to mention that they are slower than the traditional hardwired ones. (some of the NICS have failed, too.) When they do work, ours go down a lot. They aren't ready for prime time, in my honest opinion. Your mileage may vary, but I'll pass...for now. (We have a DSL, not cable, but this small detail shouldn't make any difference when discussing the current merits of wireless networking.)


I forgot...A NAT hardware firewall is a good solution.
 
1) to answer the first bit, it's an additional level of security. A Windows security flaw (not like those ever happen) can't compromise a separate non-windows firewall box. Likewise, a flaw in a Linksys router doesn't compromise internal machines automatically.

2) I happen to like Linksys. They're good about replacing hardware if something goes bad.

3) Can't help, as I'm a firm believer in the points made in #1. If you've got an extra old box around, though, SmoothWall is a good dedicated *nix firewall.
 
Zonealarm is a great free firewall program. Very solid.

Hardware firewalls are overkill for general users or even power users. (Overkill is fun though) :)
 
Sygate Personal Firewall is easy, powerful, just flat out works.

Pretty light on resources too.
 
Yogi said:
Hardware firewalls are overkill for general users or even power users. (Overkill is fun though) :)
Click to expand...

Overkill? I'd rather install a hardware firewall in a client site and know it's secure than worry about if someone is going to answer correctly to a software firewall asking about internal or external access.

Yes, I know they can be taught, but most of my clients don't care to learn about this stuff and just want it to work while they depend on me to ensure they are protected. It makes my life alot easier knowing that the configuration I put in today will not be changed by anyone but me.
 
SJConsultant said:
Overkill? I'd rather install a hardware firewall in a client site and know it's secure than worry about if someone is going to answer correctly to a software firewall asking about internal or external access.

Yes, I know they can be taught, but most of my clients don't care to learn about this stuff and just want it to work while they depend on me to ensure they are protected. It makes my life alot easier knowing that the configuration I put in today will not be changed by anyone but me.
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean, but since Operaghost posted here and knows he needs a firewall, I'm sure he's more than capable of mananging a simple program like zonealarm.
 
Yogi said:
I understand what you mean, but since Operaghost posted here and knows he needs a firewall, I'm sure he's more than capable of mananging a simple program like zonealarm.
Click to expand...

Your statement was that hardware firewalls were overkill for general and power users alike. Not whether he could handle his own software firewall.

Operaghost,

In my opinion, consumer level hardware firewalls are better than software firewalls in that it doesn't require the end user to learn exactly how a firewall operates or what rules to configure. You can share the internet connection among several computers at once without having to depend on one machine to be on all the time.

If your new to networking and don't know alot about TCP/IP you would be better off getting a hardware firewall for now, then move up to a software firewall later when your comfortable with knowing what you are doing.

Once you learn a little about TCP/IP and want to control *outbound* connections from your computers is the time to step up to a software firewall like Zonealarm, Sygate, or Kerio.
 
Actually, overkill is when you wear a tinfoil hat, like someone we know around here.







Now that I think about it, even that might not be such a bad idea. ;)
 
Ok I installed Kerio
I took a look at the administration. I have a basic understanding of TCP/IP networking. What I don't understand is this.
You can set it to prompt for every connection, that obviously just won't do. I'm not gonna set rules and deny/permit 10 connections everytime I go to a new webpage. Could someone provide me with a user faq or something of that effect? Or explain how to manage this firewall a little easier? I don't see the point of the firewall if you automatically permit or deny every connection that doesn't have a rule.

SJ, I am building a new system so this computer could possibly be used for a hardware FW. Could you recommend a guide or some such setting one up?
The rig is an AMD Athlon 800mhz, 512mb cheapass ram.
 
A freaking 486 is fine for a hardware (linux) firewall. what you described is overkill by orders of magnitude.

All you need are: hard drive, minimal RAM, a CD-ROM during installation, and 2 nics.

//edit: anyway, per my earlier recommendation of smoothwall: http://smoothwall.org/docs/
 
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