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Personal firewall recommendation wanted

I would appreciate a firewall recommendation. I currently have McAfee Security Suite but am very disappointed in the company's lack of technical support.

Here are my specs for the product I desire:

- Windows XP Home Edition, SP 2

- Dial-up line (there is as yet no DSL in my area)

- Want to monitor / block incoming and outgoing

- Rated high in terms of being able to block most intrusion attempts ("leaks")

- Backed by a company that offers good technical support, preferably by email

- Minimal configuration required; product should work well "out of the box"

I suspect that some folks will feel that I am trying to get a free lunch. That is, looking for a quality product that does not require me to do much in the way of configuration. But after perusing various groups and seeing the troubles that some folks have with their personal firewalls, I do not want to find myself in that same position.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Reply to
goshengoogle
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Use the Windows-Firewall.

Use the Windows-Firewall.

For monitoring use Port Reporter [1] in addition to the Windows Firewall.

Blocking outbound traffic is unreliable, to say the least. Especially if you want to avoid much configuration. If you don't want some software to communicate outbound: configure it to not communicate outbound, or remove/replace it if it can't be configured that way.

Leaks are the opposite of intrusion attempts. In fact they indicate a successful intrusion.

Use the Windows-Firewall.

This rules out everything that tries to address even the well-known leaks.

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cu 59cobalt
Reply to
Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers

Please don't tell folks this Ansgar. If you haven't got any good suggestions for a firewall that's fine, but don't be misleading folks like this.

Ok here all I can do is laugh. They asked for a company that offers good tech support. Try being a home user and calling them for support once.

Reply to
Jason

M-hm. I suppose you're not going to give any reason why that would be?

The Windows-Firewall is perfectly suitable for filtering inbound traffic as well as for preventing applications from listening on ports. Filtering outbound traffic is pointless anyway, especially if one wants to avoid a great deal of configuration like the OP does. I've already pointed out what you want to do instead:

The reasons why outbound filtering is unreliable (and thus pointless) have been discussed ad nauseam, even in this group. Look it up.

cu

59cobalt
Reply to
Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers

snip...

I suggest you take a look at (free) Jetico v2.

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If you want to evaluate Jetico Personal Firewall version 2, download and install following file: Jetico Personal Firewall for Windows 2000/XP/2003/XP x64/2003 x64/Vista/Vista x64 - 3108 kB End Quote... My understanding of software firewall generally goes like this: Just about every brand of software firewalls has excellent Inbound connection control. Outbound control, at best, is questionable in all of these brands. Outbound connections that defeat the firewall is referred to as Leaks (as you know). Take a look at
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or Tiny URL
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Select Leak Test Results then scroll way down to the green-brown-pink table. There you will find that Jetico has an excellent Leak rating in this extensive Leak testing that was done.

I myself have just downloaded Jetico (and excellent users manual) and will be dropping Sygate if I can somewhat master a new user interface Casey

Reply to
Casey

Hmmm... it's a beta version. Wouldn't it be better to use a tested version?

Reply to
Alfred Molon

I don't want this to sound sarcastic but.. If Jetico v2 is thought of as being inadequately test. Jetico v1 could be downloaded. Casey

Reply to
Casey

Those are even less suitable for newbies.

Except when it doesn't work. BTST too often.

Reply to
Sebastian Gottschalk

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