Alternative to Zone Alarm?

[Wolfmight]

Well, a friend of mine recommended me to try uninstalling Zone Alarm to notice a gain in Internet speed. Indeed I did, and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't even use it, because my (recently made, year 2005 ) DSL Modem has a built in firewall that blocks a lot of the same stuff Zone Alarm did. The only thing I would be missing is something to block outgoing traffic.

Are there any firewall programs that only allow you to control the outgoing traffic in a similar way Zone Alarm does? maybe I should use version 4.5 of zone alarm?

With Azureus download the same file (swarm of 300 people, 150 connected normally..about 30 seeds) , I get around the same speeds. The internet's webpages load a hellova lot faster though. Images are nearly twice as fast sometimes.

[Izagaia]

I do not surf without protection- period. :)

I will gladly trade the convienence of alittle speed in order to properly safe guard my system. But this is just my personal preference... others place different values in internet surfing. You should determine the same and make a decision based upon that. The documents you keep, the transactions you make, sites traveled to, who uses the PC and so forth.

Windows firewall, (assuming XP) in general, can be configured to control traffic flow like you need it to. However, it will not stealth-block or use secure-port features like many of the higher tier applications/appliances do.

This forum is chocked full of other users giving their own opinions and personal preferences regarding the firewalls they use and why. I would search for those threads and see what knowledge you have to gain from it. Since I see that you do use Azureus, then utilizing a P2P application to obtain the program you have chosen should not be difficult.

But overall, internet surfing without a decent firewall of any sort is much like having sex without a condom. It may yield some fringe/pleasurable benefits, however you will be taking risks. And doing so always comes at a price in the end. ;)

[orcutt989]

Norton Internet Security is great.

[4play]

agnitum outpost comes out on top of any other firewall in most tests.

sorry too drunk to find the link :sorry

[keyser_soze]

I've just uninstalled ZA pro after my subscription ran out I'm using XP's own version of a firewall which passes all the tests on Shields up (https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2) so I'm satisfied that its doing its job. To me firewalls get to the point where you have to make that many changes to get legit software to run that your never sure its still protecting you anyway. :unsure:

[peat moss]

I like look n stop , I'm still a za fan but this uses less resources. How about Microsofts built in one for your outgoing ?



Sorry Keyser did n't read your post. :blushing:

[Wolfmight]

eh, went back to Zone Alarm, because I get the same speeds with Azureus anyways. Webpages...nothing too different.

[RealitY]

I used ZA for quite a while and had enough issues to toss it fot good.
Ever since Ive been using Sygate which has a free version also...
http://www.simtel.net/product.download.mirrors.php?id=53687

[SaYiaN]

Also recommend Sygate, easy to use and very effective.

[peat moss]

Hey any one that works I guess would be a keeper, but how do we know they work aways ? Because they tell us so ? Or because you don't get trojans or DOS 's :blink:

[Izagaia]

Hey any one that works I guess would be a keeper, but how do we know they work aways ? Because they tell us so ? Or because you don't get trojans or DOS 's :blink:

Honestly peat, I think merely stuck with my firewall choice mainly because of the name brand and the hype behind it. That and yes- I have not yet ever encountered a trojan or DoS since using it. Other than that, I really have not the faintest clue about the product. :D

[{I}{K}{E}]

Sygate is the best :D

[zapjb]

I like LnS.

[keyser_soze]

The only thing I did'nt like about ZA pro was that even though I allowed everything and I mean everything in my privacy settings some web pages still did'nt load i.e my own web page :) if its a firewall specifacally to keep you safe while f/sharing then guardian p2p would probably be the best for you as its designed to protect you that way and can import all known baddies into most f/sharing p2p clients but as for general web surfing I still think XP's own version is sufficient with blitzing your resources.