Preserved Topic: FIREWALLS--NEED 411....

I just saw an ad for "external" firewall through usb port, if not mistaken, how do they compare to other types? Which is the best to buy?

Hmmm...not sure how they work. I use a Pix 520 firewall. Can't say as I have any complaints. But it's business class hardware for business class budgets.

On the residential side, I'm partial to ZoneAlarm. It's free, and it rocks.

Yep ZoneAlarm rocks! After you download that freebee, get VisualZone

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Hi guys,

Pugzly-- Thanks for the info. Especially the business/residential price difference!

c/prompt-- Thank-you!! for the link. Downloaded basic version for now and will buy tomorrow the Pro-version w/ new Visual add-on.

What 411 on Black Ice...supposedly its better...is it so?!

I don't like black ice that much.
I'm more into neowatch and also have norton internet security instaled. But I don't think that would make any difference if someone with talent was reallyyyyy interested in getting into your computer.

Of course, in my case, I don't have to worry that much, seeing I have nothing worth invading. So you better take their advice

Hi Arthemis!
Neowatch? Please more info.!
I have Norton; but since i know a few people with great abilities i'd prefer to be on the safer side...if u know what i mean.. !
Not that i think i have anything of importance here....

MYSTIKA:

No No dude! No need to buy anything. Just get ZoneAlarm here and then get the VisualZone here

There is no need to purchase anything. That is the beauty of ZoneAlarm. It is total stealth mode, the VisualZone will give you info about "potential attacks" than what you will need (or want).

You don't really get anything more with the Pro edition of ZoneAlarm.



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Yo, C/Prompt!

I am a Dudette, Dude!

And btw many thanks for saving me some dough....

but, a question, on that site it says that i need a "cleaner?"program also before i install ZoneAlarm to eliminate "spies" and any other intruders that may have infiltrated beforehand...
Can i install Zone and Visual first, or do i hamper their usefullness because my system wasn't cleaned out first...?

What to do , what do I do?!

MYSTIKA:

I am so sorry that I got your gender wrong! I have a tendency to just say "dude" even to my fianceé

Anyway, I just updated my Norton AV and ran that. It is a good idea to run an anti-virus before you install them. This way ZoneAlarm won't give any "spies" access to the internet.

One way that you can avoid this and it is IMO a good idea. When you install ZoneAlarm for the first time, it will ask you if you would like Zone Alarm to "automatically" give any program that has accessed the internet access. Just say "NO".

You'll see what I mean when you install it. Just be sure to read all the prompting dialog boxes on your way through the install.

Again I appologize for the gender confusion!



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It is also worth mentioning that new Windows XP has built in internet connection firewall...

oooooo.....really I didn't know that. I might have to do the XP upgrade thing. hmmmm....


~off to find the details on XP firewall~

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Thanks Max for bringing that bit of info to my attention!
i just bought this compu w/ xp os installed. i, ahem, unfortunately have not had the time to go through All the accompanying literature,ahem, so, um, was unaware i had a firewall already....

Btw, how does having the XP built-in firewall and ZoneAlarm work? Will it cause any mishaps within my compu or will they "get along"? Can they be used together, or do I disactivate one of them?
I have gotten so many alerts from VisualZone! Wow! So many people come knockin on my door!

Norton AV i have; so i was probably clean, right?

C/prompt...thank-u, apology accepted! Hey congrats to your Fiancee on her Birthday!!! U soooo lucky to have a woman who loves u so much u can call her Dude!!! %)

[This message has been edited by MYSTIKA (edited 12-03-2001).]

[This message has been edited by MYSTIKA (edited 12-03-2001).]

In order to use built-in firewall you have to enable it first. To do this, go to internet connection properties dialog and on the "Advanced" tab you'll see an option entitled "Protect my network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet" which should be enabled in order for it to work. You can easily see whether connection is firewalled or not when you go to "Network Connections" folder (connections will have word "firewalled" added to their name)...

Thanx, Max!

Will do so immediately...

Now that i have ZoneAlarm and VisualZone, do i really need my XP os firewall anymore, or is it good to have it activated as an extra precautionary step...

I think the firewall included in XP blocks incomming traffic only, So you still need something like zone alarm to block on authorized server apps such as spyware or trojans. It also does not block several ports that zone alarm blocks.

Check out Gibson Research Corporation, www.grc.com, check out the Sheild-up and Port Prob online tests.

I haven't tried any of the downloadables but the web based tests are interesting if not spooky.

jstuartj

As far as built-in firewall is concerned, it can be fine tuned and you can add specific services/ports by hand. Also, built-in firewall will make you computer completely stealth (just like ZoneAlarm does).

ZoneAlarm should only be used to control which applications should access internet. This is mostly related to spyware, since Trojans should be handled by AV program...

I hate ZoneAlarm, It recently screwed my comp to hell.

Hi all!
Skatef/x, please don't tell me that.... i just downloaded it and VisualZone a few days ago..

Has anyone else had any trouble with ZoneAlarm? (Please, Say NO,?!)

I never had any problems with ZoneAlarm...

Never any trouble with ZoneAlarm at all.

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Nope, no troubles with Zone Alarm. Works great IMO

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cheers.jay

No problems here, and I run ZA, VisualZone, and BID side-by-side on W98.

Do i need to run firewalls on my Mac and pops PC ?

Ive never had a problem and never thought about firewalls. I thought that was for business users not home users.

Any advice for the novice users amongs you.

Apok

If I try and fail, then i contradict my actions. Trying is not failing, failing is not trying.

Hi Apok!!!

i am a noobie just like u and have gotten a lot of great advice and recommendations from the people here at Asylum!

Read this whole thread; i didn't know i needed firewalls or what they were exactly...

But, guess what? If you're surfing the net, u need one.. get ZoneAlarm and Visualzone. The guys have given me the links above.

They are free!!!

So go for it...

And btw, WELCOME!!!



[This message has been edited by MYSTIKA (edited 12-07-2001).]

well, infact zonealarm behaves strange when i return from the win2k sleeping mode (dont know the english word for it. its when you write your ram to disk switch it off, then at the next booting load back the ram from disk to ram... yea, you know what i mean).
yea, then it blocks programs i granted access before.

besides that, no problems with za. love this tool!

ok, Grumble,

Thought for a moment you were going to give me a scare like Skatefx!

Well, i have been experiencing the same thing with my XP os... and i thought it was because i was too computer illiterate to deal with something as simple as permitting the ZA to grant net access to the program.... whew!

At least now i know i am not the only one who has this small prob w/ ZA...



[This message has been edited by MYSTIKA (edited 12-07-2001).]

yepp, we had a short thread about it:
http://www.ozoneasylum.com/Forum1/HTML/003073.html

Got it...

did u try the router already? did it work?

no.
i just dont use that sleeping mode any more and the problem is gone.

Grumble,

i only used sleep mode a couple of times; thats the point, it has happened when i have restarted also....

GRUMBLE, English term for the sleep mode that you're talking about is "Hibernate"...

ahhh! i knew i could count on you, max.

blackice