Looking for a good free firewall
July 26th, 2016
Windows Firewall Control – uses the built-in but makes it usable (like block all programs except for those you want) – 4 message alerts (avoiding the popups). Nothing installed that screws things up if you change your mind and want to uninstall.
Best of all, free version that has everyday functionality activated.
Bah, use comodo firewall free. Just make sure to disable all the other crap.
I use Kaspersky and get the license from this forum
I tried Comodo and it pretty much took over. Alerts everywhere for everything.
Sounds like you had unreasonably high expectations!
Firewalls do require user-interaction from time to time, Especially on first use!
Once it’s properly configured, It’s not gonna prompt you too often. Comodo is the best
of it’s kind. And to be honest, If you don’t have enough intelligence to make smart decisions
when needed, You are doomed and your PC will never be safe from Virus/Spyware! (At least not while your using Windows) Not trying to be harsh, Just telling it like it is.
Unfortunately Commodo does not stop all programs – there are hidden ones that it allows regardless of your settings. And … never uninstall it unless you have your windows installation usb/dvd at hand
@ Do you have anything to back that up?
Vender is irrelevant, Set it to block any inbound traffic that doesn’t match an exception or don’t bother at all. This of course means you need to make exceptions for the non standard protocols you use.
Don’t try to make your client firewall a network firewall do your content filtering (ads,scam sites etc) at the edge of the network with an appropriate router or secure gateway.
lol @ Windows Firewall Control psudo-power tool , Use the built in MMC snapin.
Try Private Firewall… seems ok. It’s only a firewall.. and not twenty different other things. nice.
Not many alerts with that. Has trusted publisher feature that will auto allow known legit software.
But yeah you can turn that off if you want to. and lots more settings you can change.
http://www.privacyware.com/personal_firewall.html
Caution using free Outpost security suite.. it was giving me bsod’s. blue screens. ouch.
and their built in malware scanner which you can’t even turn off was bogging my pc down.
Glad I got rid of that junk. jeez lol! bsod tcpip.sys I tried comodo once.. locked up my pc.. had to use system restore. ouch. Commode is more like it. ha ha..
But sure, on certain systems comodo may indeed work nicely. Not on mine it didn’t.
* Note: Always create a system restore point Before Installing Any Firewall. and any anti-viruses as well.
Two follow-ups: 1. use built-in snap-in …. totally agree but you have to say that the question itself screams out for a one-click answer; built-in is definitely takes time to properly setup (and learn)
2. Roberto – I do have some logs around somewhere from about 6 months ago showing outbound and inbound traffic to IP addresses that should have been blocked. I know one of them was Commodo itself (not really a surprise but they should say you can’t block their own app); at least 2 that are on their trusted list (option to auto-create rule to allow for trusted was off and auto entries on installation removed). I’ll dig out the logs and post them if you want. Just PM me (we shouldn’t hijack the topic).
I'll dig out the logs and post them if you want. Just PM me (we shouldn't hijack the topic).
This is not hijacking, if Comodo is not doing its job, you need to point that out because otherwise I am going to tell him to use Comodo. Because so far you are the first person to say this.
Please provide proof of this…
http://anonmgur.com/up/f186314651c94ee5c89a24aef2294370.jpg
http://anonmgur.com/up/3e7f77c3845bf32e645ff9924f6aff78.jpg
http://anonmgur.com/up/046a1a21c8d25aeb490ea339b797c867.jpg
http://anonmgur.com/up/3dd19005c0041a87b7052b489ff8f36d.jpg
First examples – all Comodo updating turned-off; online certificate checking turned off; blocking of cmdagent and cfp both in/out on all protocols. Still connecting to their own IPs. You might think – well online cert checking is a good thing … well maybe we can also remember that Comodo had a security issue with issuing certicates not that long ago (or so it seems).
At the end of the day, the question is whether the firewall you choose works for your experience level and for the feature you want. I’ll bet that blocking apps obtained here from calling home might be an important want in the firewall app. Comodo has a history of changing default rules on trusted/safe app settings, ignores rules for their apps, and is not simple for the basic user. Is it a good quality app? YES; but you have to have the background to use it properly.
(PS – google will provide many other questions around this issue)
Well, I have never used any list of default applications. My firewall is set to custom ruleset and only things I allow get out.
When you first installed and depending on when (the defaults seem to change on each version update), it will have installed rules before you even clicked custom.
I would suggest taking a peek at net activity just to make sure that all is good. Actually, not a bad suggestion for any solution – the product can only be as good as the configuration and I know I have made mistakes that had to be fixed.
PC Tools Firewall – not updated by producer anymore because it has been impleted to PC tools Internet Security. Yet it still is easy to use, simple and good firewall that is going to protect you and wont be hard to configure.