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Other => General Topics => Topic started by: Avastfan1 on November 26, 2010, 01:02:51 AM

Title: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Avastfan1 on November 26, 2010, 01:02:51 AM
Dear Forum,

Could you kindly recommend a lightweight and easy-to-use firewall?

1. The system is an older laptop from 2004
= Therefore, the firewall must be light on resources

2. Avast Free is the anti-virus software (of course)
= Therefore, the firewall can be standalone

3. The laptop's owner is NOT good with computers
= Therefore, the firewall must be easy-to-use

Thank you!

Avastfan1

PS: I would like to choose PCTools Firewall Plus Pro. However, the final release of version 7 is not yet completed.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: timcan on November 26, 2010, 01:24:18 AM
Dear Forum,

Could you kindly recommend a lightweight and easy-to-use firewall?

1. The system is an older laptop from 2004
= Therefore, the firewall must be light on resources



3. The laptop's owner is NOT good with computers
= Therefore, the firewall must be easy-to-use


Hi, is this win xp? If so just use the built in firewall.It doesn't get any easier than that. :)
If you must have a 3rd party firewall then an application based fw such as zonealarm free is easy, though I don't know how light it is. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Avastfan1 on November 26, 2010, 01:29:29 AM
Thanks for the reply.

It is indeed Windows XP. However, I believe the XP firewall does not monitor outbound connections.

Moreover, in my experience ZA was a resource hog. It was good in the old days, yet it became more bloated as time went on.

Any suggestions are welcome :-)
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Asyn on November 26, 2010, 01:47:58 AM
1. It is indeed Windows XP. However, I believe the XP firewall does not monitor outbound connections.
2. Moreover, in my experience ZA was a resource hog. It was good in the old days, yet it became more bloated as time went on.
3. Any suggestions are welcome :-)

1. True, forget about the XP firewall...!
2. True again, ZA is crap now, imo...
3. Use the Comodo FW. Just that, no AV/D+/sandbox/cloud/etc...
asyn
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: CraigB on November 26, 2010, 10:55:46 AM
If you aren't happy with the windows firewall use online armor for ease of use and great extra layer of protection or privatefirewall which is extremely light on resources.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Shawn Micheal on November 26, 2010, 11:03:15 AM
WHAT ABOUT FIREFOX'S FIREWALL , ARENT YOU GUYS SATISFIED WITH IT ?
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: CraigB on November 26, 2010, 11:11:18 AM
WHAT ABOUT FIREFOX'S FIREWALL , ARENT YOU GUYS SATISFIED WITH IT ?
Firefox does not have a firewall its a browser.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: osants911 on November 26, 2010, 11:13:14 AM
WHAT ABOUT FIREFOX'S FIREWALL , ARENT YOU GUYS SATISFIED WITH IT ?

Firefox is a web-browser, and it does not function as a firewall!
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: SafeSurf on November 26, 2010, 11:48:38 AM
@ Avastfan1,

I agree with all the above posters, but since this issue has been brought up so many times recently, you might be better off doing a search in the forum for your answer.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 12:09:34 PM
I am not trying to make commercial for comodo but this the firewall that I use and that I find best :)

comodo firewall is full featured firewall that will give more protection than an other (in my view) like HIPS-technology and a cloud scanner. All that other wants to buy the pro version comodo doesn't; CIS (comodo internet security) pro cost but has the same features like CIS but you pay for the LiveSupport.

Here is a video that you can look at if you choose comodo firewall http://www.youtube.com/languy99#p/u/20/Bj_Tg8EeY-s

Regards,
              Tenko
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: CraigB on November 26, 2010, 12:24:00 PM
I am not trying to make commercial for comodo but this the firewall that I use and that I find best :)

comodo firewall is full featured firewall that will give more protection than an other (in my view) like HIPS-technology and a cloud scanner. All that other wants to buy the pro version comodo doesn't; CIS (comodo internet security) pro cost but has the same features like CIS but you pay for the LiveSupport.

Here is a video that you can look at if you choose comodo firewall http://www.youtube.com/languy99#p/u/20/Bj_Tg8EeY-s

Regards,
              Tenko
Your video link is about cis and is not what the op has asked for, comodo firewall is also difficult to setup with alot of nagging and is quite high on resource usage. Online armor is probably the strongest and easy to use firewall with privatefirewall comming in 2nd place.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 01:54:50 PM
I think you will still get help by looking at the video or am I wrong, craigb?

Regards,
              Tenko
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: YoKenny on November 26, 2010, 02:57:10 PM
If you aren't happy with the windows firewall use online armor for ease of use and great extra layer of protection or privatefirewall which is extremely light on resources.
Online Armor is good.

Comodo is heavy on resources like craigb says.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 03:49:43 PM
never felt that ToKenny
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: YoKenny on November 26, 2010, 03:58:03 PM
never felt that ToKenny

See
Quote
1. The system is an older laptop from 2004
= Therefore, the firewall must be light on resources
Therfore it is for XP with little room to run Comodo.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 04:36:32 PM
okey. I understand what you are trying to get at :)
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Avastfan1 on November 26, 2010, 04:40:08 PM
Thank you for the advice.

I installed Online Armor successfully. Rebooted and the system loads into Windows, but the screen freezes on the desktop and Avast has the yellow warning sign on the icon near the clock.

Booted into safe mode, uninstalled Online Armor and the computer is booting correctly.

Online Armor does not like the laptop (or Avast!).

Should I try Comodo? I really think the Laptop is too old to handle a 3rd party firewall and Avast.

It is an ASUS laptop Intel Pentium M Processor 1.6GHz with 1.0Gb Ram and a hard drive of 76Gb. Windows XP SP3 fully updated is loaded on the system!

Best regards,

Avastfan1
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Avastfan1 on November 26, 2010, 04:41:29 PM
Tenko: Är du verkligen svensk? Var bor du i Sverige? Kan jag anta att du är 08? :-)
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: CraigB on November 26, 2010, 05:01:01 PM
Thank you for the advice.

I installed Online Armor successfully. Rebooted and the system loads into Windows, but the screen freezes on the desktop and Avast has the yellow warning sign on the icon near the clock.

Booted into safe mode, uninstalled Online Armor and the computer is booting correctly.

Online Armor does not like the laptop (or Avast!).

Should I try Comodo? I really think the Laptop is too old to handle a 3rd party firewall and Avast.

It is an ASUS laptop Intel Pentium M Processor 1.6GHz with 1.0Gb Ram and a hard drive of 76Gb. Windows XP SP3 fully updated is loaded on the system!

Best regards,

Avastfan1
Only having 1gig ram is feesable as long as you dont have to many startup's turned on, you can look at startup's in msconfig/startup's and see if there is anything there that you do not need, otherwise just stick with the windows firewall/avast/malwarebytes :)
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 05:16:43 PM
Ja, jag är svensk och bor i Tyskland för tillfället och jag är född 88 :)

Jag föreslår att du försöker med Comodo firewall. Kopiera länken nedanför för att hämta comodo.

http://download.comodo.com/cis/download/installs/1000/standalone/cfw_installer_x86.exe

Jag rekommendera att du köper två 1Gb's ram minne (jag antar att datorn har minst två minne-slots) så att datan har tillräckligt med minne; när jag var yngre då Vista var rätt så ny frågade jag en expert vad en dator ska ha för ram minne och han svarade: minst 1,5Gb.

MVH,
        Tenko
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: FreewheelinFrank on November 26, 2010, 05:28:02 PM
Try the Sunbelt (previously Kerio) firewall. I used to use it on a 2003 laptop.

http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/ (http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/)
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: CraigB on November 26, 2010, 05:37:03 PM
Ja, jag är svensk och bor i Tyskland för tillfället och jag är född 88 :)

Jag föreslår att du försöker med Comodo firewall. Kopiera länken nedanför för att hämta comodo.

http://download.comodo.com/cis/download/installs/1000/standalone/cfw_installer_x86.exe

Jag rekommendera att du köper två 1Gb's ram minne (jag antar att datorn har minst två minne-slots) så att datan har tillräckligt med minne; när jag var yngre då Vista var rätt så ny frågade jag en expert vad en dator ska ha för ram minne och han svarade: minst 1,5Gb.

MVH,
        Tenko
This is a english forum guys. Extra ram would be a good option depending if you have DDR2.
Avastfan1 you would also have to add avast to the exclusions in online armor after the install and before the reboot. Once it reboots open the online armor gui and untick programs,make sure that anything related to avast is green then reboot again, online armor requires two reboots to install as well as uninstall.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 05:42:05 PM
I know this is english forum but I wanted to answer swedish since he asked me if I am from sweden :) I didn't know that sunbelts firewall for free? Nice
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: FreewheelinFrank on November 26, 2010, 05:43:16 PM
I know this is english forum but I wanted to answer swedish since he asked me if I am from sweden :) is sunbelts firewall for free?

Yup.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Aethec on November 26, 2010, 09:15:47 PM
I never saw the point in monitoring outbound connections...if a virus is on your computer, you're screwed anyway  :-\
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: Tenko on November 26, 2010, 11:17:24 PM
infected computer yes but it can protect other from getting infected.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: DavidR on November 27, 2010, 12:39:21 AM
I never saw the point in monitoring outbound connections...if a virus is on your computer, you're screwed anyway  :-\

There is every point in doing it if for no other reason to stop it downloading more malware (making cleaning even harder) or as has been mentioned infecting other systems.

Any outbound connection from the local system will have any associated inbound connection pass straight through your firewall as the request came from the local system.
Title: Re: Lightweight, easy-to-use firewall
Post by: dansorin on November 27, 2010, 09:34:32 AM
...I installed Online Armor successfully. Rebooted and the system loads into Windows, but the screen freezes on the desktop and Avast has the yellow warning sign on the icon near the clock.

Booted into safe mode, uninstalled Online Armor and the computer is booting correctly.

Online Armor does not like the laptop (or Avast!)...
had the same problem with OA some time ago. ZoneAlarm gave me the exact same booting delay. but Outpost Firewall Free worked great, it might be an option to try. other than that, XP's firewall is not that bad. I saw computers running for years with XP firewall and had absolutely no problem. and when it comes to resources, you can't beat XP's firewall, it's very light. but when considering what security to install, it greatly depends on the user habits.