Battle of Firewalls - Which one is the best?

[Silk0]

As the title says, this thread serves to discuss one important thing about Security...
This is NOT to advertise a Brand X or Brand Y, it's just to make some points clear about 1 important part of Security in each Computer.

As we all know, a Firewall is frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private or personal networks connected to the Internet. It's also to prevent hackers or thieves to still your data
But on the time for choosing one firewall (free or paid), the question remains... Which is the best one to protect your computer without affecting your computer's performance?
This question seems simple for advanced or expert users but can turn a bit complex for basic users or even Average users in some cases.

And that's the point of this discussion... Make some points clear for some basic or average users so they can choose more easily the firewall.

The main question is:
Which is the best free or paid (but free mainly cause some people can't afford paid security protection) but in the same time  easy (or average) GUI and configuration to one computer or Personal Computer without spending too much CPU?

Keep the discussion clear and friendly, please.


PS: Sorry my bad english.

[Pondus]

Keep the discussion clear and friendly, please.

Search the forum and you will find that is have been debated many times

[bob3160]

Keep the discussion clear and friendly, please.

Search the forum and you will find that is have been debated many times

+1 

[Lisandro]

AIS will give you a very user friendly firewall.

In my personal opinion, you can test other freeware ones:

Comodo
Online Armour
Outpost Firewall Free

[DavidR]

Best is very subjective and depends on the users needs.

[Mr.Agent]

For precision Tech mean the avast! Firewall for AIS.

[Omid Farhang]

My Opinion:

If you want easy to use firewall, use avast! Internet Security.
If you are behind a router, it will take care of in-bond connection from outside, but sometimes need advanced config if you want open a port, but it is much more secure and stable.
If you want more advanced firewall with leak protection, choose Outpost Firewall Pro (Agnitum). (My Favorite)

I've no idea about free firewalls, never could be satisfied with any of them.

[ImWarm]

My Opinion:

If you want easy to use firewall, use avast! Internet Security.
If you are behind a router, it will take care of in-bond connection from outside, but sometimes need advanced config if you want open a port, but it is much more secure and stable.
If you want more advanced firewall with leak protection, choose Outpost Firewall Pro (Agnitum). (My Favorite)

I've no idea about free firewalls, never could be satisfied with any of them.

hi omid, Router firewalls are not enough, they lack outbound protection. Software firewalls take care of inbound and outbound. Avasts firewall does have some advanced features if you dig into it.

[Omid Farhang]

hi omid, Router firewalls are not enough, they lack outbound protection. Software firewalls take care of inbound and outbound. Avasts firewall does have some advanced features if you dig into it.

Hi,

I know Router has not out-bound protection, but I rarely block any program from access to internet, maybe once or two times in last 3-4 years I had blocked any. All I need is a very powerful inbound protection and router take care of it. I used firewall with leak protection for a few years and realized they give me only more pain than help. in case of malware, I will disconnect internet, cure it and connect again, to watch traffic I use DuMeter program to always watch traffic for suspicion traffic and to watch traffics and connections, TCPview from Microsoft SystemInternals (A suite I cannot live without) is giving me exactly what I need.

No doubt avast! is improving their firewall in every update more than before. and yes, I've used and use avast! internet secure (just not in my host machine).

[DavidR]

Yes, it may be rare for you to have to block an outbound connection, but that doesn't negate the requirement.

Malware attacks don't just come from the internet.
Any malware that manages to get past your defences (be that Internet, undetected/hidden malware, or USB, etc.) will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

[Omid Farhang]

Yes, it may be rare for you to have to block an outbound connection, but that doesn't negate the requirement.

Malware attacks don't just come from the internet.
Any malware that manages to get past your defences (be that Internet, undetected/hidden malware, or USB, etc.) will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.

You are right, and sure I believe that is essential, but don't usually they come with new technique to pass firewall? and don't majority of users keep allowing everything, even virus.exe too? how many times they have bothered running your common or new programs correctly?
Yes I am using software firewall which comes with antivirus bundle, because I use many program which need inbound connection and I don't like to configure all of them in router.

[osants911]

Hi,

As I'm connecting through Windows 7's mobile broadband feature(3G modem), my options are very limited.

As far as I've tested, ZA and Comodo are the only two which are able to monitor my connection.

[CraigB]

Hi,

As I'm connecting through Windows 7's mobile broadband feature(3G modem), my options are very limited.

As far as I've tested, ZA and Comodo are the only two which are able to monitor my connection.

You should have no problem with online armour on a 3g modem as this is what i had and it ran fine, i am now using 4g modem which is also running fine and a hell of alot faster then 3g to i might add

[osants911]

You should have no problem with online armour on a 3g modem as this is what i had and it ran fine, i am now using 4g modem which is also running fine and a hell of alot faster then 3g to i might add Smiley

Thanks for the info, craigb!

I might test Online Armour sometime then.


EDIT: (Off Topic) Whoa! 4G speed looks impressive but still not available in my area...

[DavidR]

<snip>
You are right, and sure I believe that is essential, but don't usually they come with new technique to pass firewall? and don't majority of users keep allowing everything, even virus.exe too? how many times they have bothered running your common or new programs correctly?
<snip>

Yes, some might well try to circumvent a software firewall, but to assume that they all do and as a result not use a software firewall would be a bad idea.

You could apply the same logic to AVs as some are designed to try and disable that too, but we don't abandon AV software because of this possibility.

There is no accounting for what a user might do, the more intrusive the firewall the more likely they will make a mistake and allow activity. So up to a point the firewall has to provide protection without being too intrusive. My Aqnitum Outpost Firewall Pro is relatively user friendly in that way and there are others that don't constantly bombard the user with decisions to make.