I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
Just continued after Windows option appeared.
Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the Windows
product is just as good.

What do you think?

Thanks

>I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
>Just continued after Windows option appeared.
>Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the Windows
>product is just as good.
>
>What do you think?
>
>Thanks

I've not used a 3rd party firewall since SP2 was released and to this
day have not had anything come in or go out. I just the built-in
firewall. ZoneAlarm used to give decent details when I used it eons
ago but I'm told it's not so good anymore.

You're going to get a dozen or so responses stating a hardware
firewall now. Just watch. ;-)

- Thee Chicago Wolf

On Sep 11, 3:19*pm, Thee Chicago Wolf <.@.> wrote:
> >I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> >Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> >Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the Windows
> >product is just as good.
>
> >What do you think?
>
> >Thanks
>
> I've not used a 3rd party firewall since SP2 was released and to this
> day have not had anything come in or go out. I just the built-in
> firewall. ZoneAlarm used to give decent details when I used it eons
> ago but I'm told it's not so good anymore.
>
> You're going to get a dozen or so responses stating a hardware
> firewall now. Just watch. ;-)
>
> - Thee Chicago Wolf

Hardware firewall is the most secure method of firewalling any
network. But at thousands of $$ for most firewall hardware that is
not NAT based, this is not worth it for small home networks.

Windows XP SP2 firewall will only provide incoming protection. Third
party software firewall line Zone Alarm will also control outgoing
applications.

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:06:34 -0400, _Who wrote:

> I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the Windows
> product is just as good.
> What do you think?

For the average homeuser, the Windows Firewall in XP does a fantastic job
at its core mission and is really all you need if you have an 'real-time'
anti-virus program, [another firewall on your router or] other edge
protection like SeconfigXP and practise safe-hex.
The windows firewall deals with inbound protection and therefore does not
give you a false sense of security. Best of all, it doesn't implement lots
of nonsense like pretending that outbound traffic needs to be monitored.

Activate and utilize the Win XP built-in Firewall; Uncheck *all* Programs
and Services under the Exception tab.

Windows XP: How to turn on your firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/com...rewall/xp.mspx

Read through:
Understanding Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...2_wfintro.mspx

Using Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...nfirewall.mspx

Deconstructing Common Security Myths.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...s/default.aspx
Scroll down to:
"Myth: Host-Based Firewalls Must Filter Outbound Traffic to be Safe."

Exploring the windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...l/default.aspx
"Outbound protection is security theater¡Xit¡¦s a gimmick that only gives the
impression of improving your security without doing anything that actually
does improve your security."

In conjunction with WinXP SP2 Firewall use:
Seconfig XP 1.0
http://seconfig.sytes.net/
Seconfig XP is able configure Windows not to use TCP/IP as transport
protocol for NetBIOS, SMB and RPC, thus leaving TCP/UDP ports 135, 137-139
and 445 (the most exploited Windows networking weak point) closed.

I agree completely with Thee Chicago Wolf. And, as far as smlunatick
comment goes, you don't have to check what goes out if nothing gets in.
"_Who" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the
> Windows product is just as good.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thanks
>

Zone Alarm is the last thing that I would ever want installed on any of
my computers. The Windows firewall is fine and while I am not averse to
using third party firewalls Zone Alarm is not one of the ones I would
ever use or want on my computer.

John

_Who wrote:

> I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the Windows
> product is just as good.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thanks
>
>

I use free ZoneAlarm on my laptop. It works ok. I put it on to try it out
and then I was going to try a different one so I tried to take it off and I
couldn't get rid of it. I searched and found all kinds of information about
getting it off and nothing worked. So I reinstalled it to put it back
working and I haven't messed with it for several months. I will try again
someday.
My daughter has a laptop that she never takes anywhere and I just left the
windows one to work and it works fine.



"_Who" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the
> Windows product is just as good.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thanks
>

On Sep 11, 4:23*pm, "Unknown" <unkn...@unknown.kom> wrote:
> I agree completely with Thee Chicago Wolf. * And, as far as smlunatick
> comment goes, you don't have to check what goes out if nothing gets in."_Who" <CalWhoNOS...@roadrunner.com> wrote in message
>
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
>
> > I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> > Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> > Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the
> > Windows product is just as good.
>
> > What do you think?
>
> > Thanks

Things do get it. I found "spywares" that come in, "hidden" to the
user.

>Things do get it. I found "spywares" that come in, "hidden" to the
>user.

Yes, those things do get in but no firewall in the world is a
replacement for anti-virus and anti-malware protection as a
supplimental.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

I'd like to thank each of you for the help.


Thanks

"_Who" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've been using ZoneAlarm since before Windows had a fire wall.
> Just continued after Windows option appeared.
> Now I'm wondering if there is any reason to use ZoneAlarm or if the
> Windows product is just as good.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Thanks
>