2 Firewalls

  • Thread starter Thread starter alxrays
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A

alxrays

My OS is Windows XP Home Edition-
Does anyone know if it is ok to run both Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm
Firewall?
I don't seem to be having any problems,but wonder if any future problems may
occur.
 
alxrays said:
My OS is Windows XP Home Edition-
Does anyone know if it is ok to run both Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm
Firewall?
I don't seem to be having any problems,but wonder if any future problems may
occur.
Click to expand...

The general advice usually seen here - repeatedly - is: Anti-spyware
programs? The more the merrier. Firewall or anti-virus? ONE, only.

Tony
 
Tony said:
The general advice usually seen here - repeatedly - is: Anti-spyware
programs? The more the merrier. Firewall or anti-virus? ONE, only.

Tony
Click to expand...

I mean one EACH of anti-virus and firewall, of course. Just wanted to
be absolutely clear!

Tony
 
alxrays said:
My OS is Windows XP Home Edition-
Does anyone know if it is ok to run both Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm
Firewall?
I don't seem to be having any problems,but wonder if any future problems may
occur.
Click to expand...

That's just fine...
since XP has a minimal firewall...many people also run Zone Alarm
(or Comodo) firewall
 
philo said:
That's just fine...
since XP has a minimal firewall...many people also run Zone Alarm
(or Comodo) firewall
Click to expand...

It is NOT just fine: ONE FIREWALL.
 
alxrays said:
My OS is Windows XP Home Edition-
Does anyone know if it is ok to run both Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm
Firewall?
I don't seem to be having any problems,but wonder if any future problems
may
occur.
Click to expand...
You are a lucky person indeed then.
All two firewalls bring to the table is one more place for conflicts to
arise.
Jim
 
PA Bear said:
It is NOT just fine: ONE FIREWALL.
Click to expand...

I certainly could have been wrong with my advice

I have been running XP's firewall and a third party firewall for *years*...
have not had any problems due to that...but the 3rd party firewall catches
some things XP's firewall
allows.


If I were going to take the advice of using just one firewall...
I'd probably use a 3rd party application then just disable the XP firewall
 
essentially, if both firewalls
are configured correctly, one
should be blocking the other,
thus one is working and the
other cannot.

--------------

set windows firewall
to no exceptions.

be sure you only have
one active connection.

and run a freeware like
siw and look at the info
on your ports and network
connections.

ensure there isn't anything
suspicious, like having several
ports opened.



--

db ·´¯`·.¸. said:
<)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
Click to expand...


..
 
db ´¯`·.. > ` .. . said:
essentially, if both firewalls
are configured correctly, one
should be blocking the other,
thus one is working and the
other cannot.

--------------

set windows firewall
to no exceptions.

be sure you only have
one active connection.

and run a freeware like
siw and look at the info
on your ports and network
connections.

ensure there isn't anything
suspicious, like having several
ports opened.
Click to expand...


Even though I have an XP machine using XP's firewall plus a 3rd party
firewall...
and even though it's been running trouble-free for many years...
I can come up with at least one scenario where have two firewalls could
cause...if nothing else...
a bit of confusion.

For example...
if both firewalls did nothing to block an app. from connecting the the
internet...
I don't think that would cause a porblem.
OTOH: If both firewalls were set to block the app...
I can't see how that would hurt either...

but suppose one decided to allow one app to connect...
but the other firewall were blocking it silently...
then there would be a problem...and one would have to manually wade through
the configurations
to see what was going on.

Since XP's firewall is rather minimal I guess it never previously occured to
me that
yes, there could possibly be a problem with having two firewalls
 
Alias said:
Bullcrap. I have Comodo and a router firewall. XP's firewall is 1/2 a
firewall so you can't count it as "one".
Click to expand...

We're discussing software firewalls here.
 
My OS is Windows XP Home Edition-
Does anyone know if it is ok to run both Windows Firewall and Zone Alarm
Firewall?
I don't seem to be having any problems,but wonder if any future problems may
occur.
Click to expand...


Don't run two software firewalls. You achieve no extra protection, you
incur the extra overhead of running two firewalls, and you run the
risk (probably small, but not zero) of conflicts between them.

See http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/firewall.mspx
which includes the following:

"Q. Should I use both the built-in firewall and a software firewall
from a different company on my Windows XP computer?

"A. No. Running multiple software firewalls is unnecessary for typical
home computers, home networking, and small-business networking
scenarios. Using two firewalls on the same connection could cause
issues with connectivity to the Internet or other unexpected behavior.
One firewall, whether it is the Windows XP Internet Connection
Firewall or a different software firewall, can provide substantial
protection for your computer."
 
One of your truly dedicated fans perhaps <G>!


~~~~


Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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