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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Balog on July 23, 2013, 01:42:04 AM

Title: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Balog on July 23, 2013, 01:42:04 AM

I've used Zone Alarm as a firewall for years, mainly out of institutional inertia. It's gotten more and more annoying, and now is demanding that I make their browser (and toolbar?!?!?!) the default to download the latest update. Screw that and the horse it rode in on. So what would everyone recommend for a good firewall? I'm willing to pay if need be.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Waitone on July 23, 2013, 08:05:37 AM

Noted.  I've used ZA for years now.  Never a hiccup.  Forcing me to use their stuff is a deal breaker. 

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: mtnbkr on July 23, 2013, 08:07:19 AM

I just use the Windows FW that comes with the OS these days.  It's almost unnoticeable.

Chris

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: lee n. field on July 23, 2013, 08:12:19 AM

Quote from: mtnbkr on July 23, 2013, 08:07:19 AM

I just use the Windows FW that comes with the OS these days.  It's almost unnoticeable.

Chris

Hmmm.  Yeah.  I last used a third party firewall with Windows 2000.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: robear on July 23, 2013, 09:37:55 AM

Quote from: mtnbkr on July 23, 2013, 08:07:19 AM

I just use the Windows FW that comes with the OS these days.  It's almost unnoticeable.

Chris

...and a third vote for the windows firewall.    I used to use zone alarm also, but got tired of their upgrade BS as well.   I tried comodo for a while, but just didn't like it.   The windows firewall just works and doesn't nag you to death about every little unknown IP address or updates.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Ben on July 23, 2013, 09:44:59 AM

Another vote for Windows firewall. I'm also someone that used Zonealarm many years ago. Nowadays a good router is your hardware firewall and Windows firewall takes up the slack. That said, using your hardware firewall to full advantage requires a little knowledge, though the default settings on most are good.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Fitz on July 23, 2013, 02:39:54 PM

Another vote for windows firewall

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Balog on July 23, 2013, 03:01:14 PM

Stupid question, but that's bundled with the OS right? Or is it a download like MSE?

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: 41magsnub on July 23, 2013, 03:11:47 PM

bundled.  Look in your control panel, there will be a "firewall" applet.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: lee n. field on July 23, 2013, 04:09:10 PM

Quote from: Balog on July 23, 2013, 03:01:14 PM

Stupid question, but that's bundled with the OS right? Or is it a download like MSE?

Built into Windows.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: vaskidmark on July 23, 2013, 04:56:55 PM

How does Windows firewall interact with 3rd-party anti-virus (GFI VIPRE* especially)?

* - because AVG let me down so many times.

stay safe.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Hawkmoon on July 23, 2013, 06:51:14 PM

I'm running Xp with the Windows firewall turned on. It co-exists with Avast! quite harmoniously.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: lee n. field on July 23, 2013, 07:10:57 PM

Quote from: vaskidmark on July 23, 2013, 04:56:55 PM

How does Windows firewall interact with 3rd-party anti-virus (GFI VIPRE* especially)?

* - because AVG let me down so many times.

stay safe.

Slightly more advanced than the rock bottom AV products will often have a firewall component.  (if the product is called such and such Internet SEcurity, instead of Such and Such Antivirus.)  These will sometimes do extra special annoying things, like pop up annoying messages, or clamp down on things you want to go through.  Finding out exactly where to fix it can be interesting.

Title: Re: Zone Alarm is vexing me, good replacements?
Post by: Calumus on July 25, 2013, 10:03:29 PM

I've used Comodo for around 5 years. Has logging if you need it. It also has a learning mode so you can easily block programs from dialing out. They also have an antivirus bundle, but I can't vouch for that.