Author Topic: How silent is AIS  (Read 6038 times)

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Dch48

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How silent is AIS
« on: February 25, 2012, 09:46:10 PM »
I'm considering upgrading to AIS but I'd like to know how silent it is, especially the Firewall component. I used NIS from 2005-2009 and was very pleased with how unobtrusive it was. It never gave a connection alert for a safe application but did block some bad things. I think the Norton Firewall is excellent in that regard. Norton would also recognize updated versions of things and allow them through without problems. This is very important if you're a gamer and get frequent updates and patches to games and the version numbers or even names of updaters change frequently.

If the avast! firewall is that silent and still effective as well, then I'm interested. If it isn't, and sometimes alerts to connections by safe or changed safe apps, then I'll pass.

MAG

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2012, 10:02:08 PM »
In my experience when set to auto-decide AIS FW is very silent - I've had AIS since it was first released, and I can't honestly recall it ever saying anything unless I had it set to manual.

I always have it set to block all incoming anyway - so inbound is no issue for me (and I have a router firewall).

I have no idea if it is effective in blocking outbound malware connections, because to the best of my knowledge I have never had any.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2012, 10:07:40 PM »
It could be completely silent: zero-popups (auto-decide).
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Offline Pondus

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2012, 10:08:05 PM »
The only popup i have seen comes when i switch from WiFi (Home) to 3G  (Puplic) networks

Reetesh

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2012, 10:12:54 PM »
THE SILENTEST DUDE

Offline Charyb-0

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2012, 10:19:03 PM »
I don't ever hear from it. For the longest time I had it set to ask because there was an event that happened where it created a rule that it should not have. I now have it set to auto. My paranoia causes me to check the rules often though. Other than that, I like it. I don't know of another suite that is as customizable and has as many features. And.... the tech support is top notch.  ;D I also like that it is a package. No need to exclude this and that in the rules in order for things to work properly. No conflicts from another firewall. If something goes wrong you pretty much know where to look right away.

I saw somewhere where it is 57% off in free edition. Git-r-dun! You won't regret it. You could always install it in trial mode. Then when you uninstall it you may even get a better deal than the 57% off. Thing is, the asking price differs from here to there. So the 57% off may or may not be the best deal.

« Last Edit: February 25, 2012, 10:32:42 PM by Charyb »

Offline jadinolf

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2012, 11:54:05 PM »
I've had AIS on three computers since last August of 2010 have never heard a peep from the firewall on any of them. Yes, auto decide.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 12:01:22 AM by jadinolf »
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Dch48

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2012, 12:47:47 AM »
Thanks guys, I'm mainly interested because I have stepped up my internet buying habits and also have a debit card and combination savings account now that is only accessible on line. I think I should have the increased security that the full suite offers so I just might take the plunge. It's cheap enough now that If I don't like it, I don't have to renew next year.

Offline jadinolf

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2012, 01:08:20 AM »
Absolutely right!

I think you will be very pleased.
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Dch48

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2012, 02:05:50 AM »
Okay I did it and everything looks fine except that now on the updating screen it says "connection not established" for the streaming updates. It never said that for the free version.

I like how the firewall works. I disabled the Win 7 Firewall after setting it back to defaults. Is the protection better with both on or the same? I imagine the Win Firewall would still alert to allow incoming? The Avast one has allowed both incoming and outgoing for World of Warcraft and for uTorrent. The second one surprised me a bit.  Oh also, I'm not sure the spam filter is working. It still shows nothing scanned but I have received 5 emails that are showing scanned by the mail shield.

Offline Charyb-0

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2012, 02:26:00 AM »
My streaming update connection drops out every now and then too. I'm not going to complain too much about though. I am confident that all the wrinkles will be ironed out soon.

My webmail, msn and gmail, are scanned and filtered well before avast gets a look at it. I see a bunch of email in the msn junk mail folder daily. My gmail account is my private email and I never see junk mail here. I only setup gmail in avast to see it work. Otherwise, I don't really need avast to scan for viruses and filter email.

Have you tried SafeZone yet?
« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 02:44:22 AM by Charyb »

Dch48

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2012, 02:47:20 AM »
Yes I  like the safe zone.  I have discovered something strange though. The firewall will not make a rule for IE9 but increments the rules number in  the Microsoft group by one every time I open the browser.

Offline Charyb-0

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2012, 02:53:10 AM »
So you have several rules for IE9? Go to the firewall rules and at the bottom of the page is file details. Same file name and path? Screenshot?

Try restarting your computer.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 03:02:52 AM by Charyb »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2012, 02:54:42 AM »
Is the protection better with both on or the same?
Let them both.
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Dch48

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Re: How silent is AIS
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2012, 03:04:57 AM »
So you have several rules for IE9? Go to the firewall rules and at the bottom of the page is file details. Same file name and path? Screenshot?
No it didn't show any rules at all for IE9 but the popup came up for a new rule every time I opened it with the name of the program blank. I rebooted and now it shows a rule that says "friends in, Internet out" I had initially set the firewall on the Home setting and then changed it to Work after some rules had already been created. Maybe that's why?