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.

Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

goshengoogle@yahoo.com wrote:
> 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

Use the Windows-Firewall.

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

Use the Windows-Firewall.

> - Want to monitor / block incoming and outgoing

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.

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

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

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

Use the Windows-Firewall.

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

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

[1] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837243

cu
59cobalt
--
"Personal Firewalls are crap. Throw away any personal firewall. Personal
Firewalls are bad[tm]."
--Malte von dem Hagen on security-basics

Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers wrote:
> goshengoogle@yahoo.com wrote:
>> 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
>
> Use the Windows-Firewall.


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.

>
> 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.
>
>> - Rated high in terms of being able to block most intrusion attempts
>> ("leaks")
>
> Leaks are the opposite of intrusion attempts. In fact they indicate a
> successful intrusion.
>
>> - Backed by a company that offers good technical support, preferably
>> by email
>
> Use the Windows-Firewall.

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.

Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

Jason wrote:
> Ansgar -59cobalt- Wiechers wrote:
>> goshengoogle@yahoo.com wrote:
>>> 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
>>
>> Use the Windows-Firewall.
>
> 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.

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:

>> 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.

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

cu
59cobalt
--
"Personal Firewalls are crap. Throw away any personal firewall. Personal
Firewalls are bad[tm]."
--Malte von dem Hagen on security-basics

Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

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Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

In article , Casey
says...

> I suggest you take a look at (free) Jetico v2.
> http://www.jetico.com/

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

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

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Re: Personal firewall recommendation wanted

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