Sygate gude to get me started

[KurtCocain]

I got a stupid worm the other day that norton detected but it still infected my machine quite a bi and acroos dfferent users.. W32.SPybot.Worn...
anyhow Imanaged to clean it up but now I am really considering on putting a FIREWALL )) (Finally!)

So according to opnions Sygate seems popular and (best) .. so I got me a copy but does nyone know a good guide that will get me started? I dont know anything bout firewalls )

[peat moss]

I'd join one of Sygate's forums , a world of info from people using the same proggy as you. I use ZA its hard to understand so thats what I did.

[fkdup74]

its pretty easy to setup dude
after you install, i think you have to reboot (hard for me to remember )
you will get a lot of popups from it in the beginning,
about such and such app wanting access
what you allow is totally up to you, but....
about 99.999999999% of the requests from microsoft apps are bullshit
just make sure you grant your browser access to the net
if you have any auto-updating antivirus app, grant it access
just click the "remember my decision" box if you are SURE about the rule
then you wont have to worry about that popup again
if you are not sure, dont tell it to remember your decision,
and i would block anything you arent sure of

[tesco]

I'd start with Zone alarm, it has tutorials built in to get you started. Then once you know a bit go to sygate and you can use your zone alarm knowldge to set it up.
Or just stay with zonealarm.

BTW, not sure if the bugs are fixed yet, but a lot of people had problem with teh newest version of ZA (5) so use 4.5.

[KurtCocain]

Hmm so Zone alarm would be better for me as a beginner ??

According to FKDUP74 -- its ssems Sygate is simple )

[fkdup74]

wtf is with this place?
same old shit i guess
someone asks for advice on one app....
someone else recommends another app ffs

kurt...
a few pointers...
generic host processes for win32...DOES NOT need access
NT kernel...DOES NOT need access
windows explorer...DOES NOT need access
application layer gateway...DOS NOT need access
(unless you network at home or somethin, then you have to allow some of these)

those are a few that are sure to popup with a request for network access
other network requests will depend on your system & software
i notice your DCC hub listing in your sig
so grant DCC access, grant IE (or netscape, mozilla, whatever you use) access
programs that you install that you KNOW needs net access, yeah
programs that microsoft wants to give access, most likely not needed
sygate is pretty straight forward, not really difficult at all
and if you find that you have blocked something you need,
its pretty easy to unblock it
just right click the tray icon and select "applications"
scroll to the ap you want to change and go from there

[tesco]

Just saying that's it's easier to learn.

[fkdup74]

btw...
if you want screen shots or somethin, just say the word
its no trouble dude (i probably need to clean my sighost account anyway)
and in the end, if you still wanna try out Zone Alarm, thats cool too
ZA is a good firewall as well, i wont tell anyone NOT to use ZA
i have had success with it in the past (problems too, but hey, thats life) lol
both are good, so its up to you

[zapjb]

Sygate is the way.

[KurtCocain]

...

Thanks, dude! I appreciate your help.

So clear this one for me. The worm that I caught the other day -- w32.spybot.worm -- would the firewall have prevented that or not. I am in a college LAN, so there's already a hardware firewall built in and most ports are blocked.. However i still got that shitty worm. I am using Norton Coporate v7.6 -- whch is a pretty old client. It detected the worm, but did not stop the webpage that was loading it. So I think norton screwed me up. Or maybe, I need to upgrade to the latest norton coporate cleint...

In 2 sentences, Im not totally sure if software (personal) firewall is what I need, but if I do -- Ill go with sygate.