Finally gave up on ZoneAlarm

[toronado]

After recently updating to the current free version, two problems were
evident:

* There is apparently no way to stop the nag screens
* Applications that use ShellExecute to launch web sites are tagged as
trying to access the internet

So far, so good with Sygate Personal Firewall.

 

[Ian Edmont]

So far, so good with Sygate Personal Firewall.

Hi Toronado.

FWIW, I had been using SPF free version for a number of year without any
issues. Used ZA prior to this and had all sorts of problems with crashes and
slow downs etc.

Tried ZA again recently and was more stable but I'm only running a PIII with
128MB RAM and the memory that is used by ZA was quite unacceptable (I think
it was the True Vector Monitor service - someone feel free to correct me on
this if I'm wrong).

Anyway, my main point ... I recently ran a Shields Up test (ww.grc.com) to
test the SPF and I didn't get the complete true stealth pass. I have no idea
on how firewalls work or how to completely lock my machine down so to speak
to just out of curiosity I searched for an alternative and ran the test
again.

The firewall I finally settled on was NetVeda's Safety.net
(http://www.netveda.com/consumer/safetynet.htm). It was easy to setup (even
for a novice like myself) and the Shields Up test gave me a true stealth
pass (all of my ports were blocked - 0 thru 1056 and it doesn't use as much
memory and is very stable (so far)

I suppose the message I'm trying to get across is that if you know nothing
about firewalls and you have a fairly old machine then give NetVeda a try.
It worked for me!

Anyone else used this firewall and what are your thoughts?

Ian.

 

[Rednax]

I have no idea on how firewalls work

Look here: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/firewall.htm

http://wiki.castlecops.com/Limits_of_a_firewall

Reviews:
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/software/firewalls/fullstory.html
"Overall, Kerio and ZoneAlarm's free firewalls are an excellent
alternative to a paid firewall for most users. Kerio has an extra
layer of protection against leak tests, though ZoneAlarm is more
resistant to malware that tries to disable firewall software."

http://www.blinklist.com/joetheboss/firewall/

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=173402915

A whole bunch of firewalls (not all free):
http://www.scanwith.com/Personal_Firewalls.htm

The firewall I finally settled on was NetVeda's Safety.net
(http://www.netveda.com/consumer/safetynet.htm).

Didn't know that one.

A review (with screenshots):
http://www.isp-planet.com/technology/2006/secure_windows_4c.html
There are also reviews of a number of other free firewalls there.

Users' comments:
http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/NetVeda_Safety-Net/NetVeda_Safety-Net.html

Rednax

 

[John Jay Smith]

i hope you have seen my older posts here telling how horrible ZA is.

avoid it at all cost

 

[Eugene Esterly III]

After recently updating to the current free version, two problems were
evident:

* There is apparently no way to stop the nag screens
* Applications that use ShellExecute to launch web sites are tagged as
trying to access the internet

So far, so good with Sygate Personal Firewall.

I gave up on Zonealarm years ago espically since this prog has some
many problems & it even refused to install the newest version of my
comp (this happened several years ago).

Nowadays, the only firewall that I use is Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5
..

 

[lisztfr]

Eugene Esterly III a écrit :

I gave up on Zonealarm years ago espically since this prog has some
many problems & it even refused to install the newest version of my
comp (this happened several years ago).

Nowadays, the only firewall that I use is Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5
.

Same here ; i fund ZA making too much logs. it's known for logging
every
thing, and so there is a big logfile somewhere. Kerio is very featured,
too
much for me. i stay with tiny pers firewall.

Lh

 

[Steve]

I've downloaded it. I may give it a try. I suspect ZoneAlarm may be
blocking my access to the Internet at random intervals. While I was on
dial-up, I found that sometimes while I was downloading something, I
couldn't browse Web pages. Sometimes it was fine, sometimes the page
wouldn't come up in the browser. No pattern. Now that I've switched to
broadband, I find that some of my posts to newsgroups are being blocked. I
don't know if it's ZoneAlarm, but I am suspicious that it might be.

My experience is that ZoneAlarm does not block access at random intervals.
It does not block posts to newsgroups. In fact, it doesn't do a lot of the
bad things that others claim (except chew memory and log everything). I am
in control of what it does (except those bl***y logs) including program
access to other programs, dlls and the Internet. Have you considered your
problem may be some other security program you use or your ISP. If you
continue to suspect ZoneAlarm, research ZoneAlarm forums. The instructions
for a clean installation fixes some sins. You'll find it on this web page
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=inst&message.id=52386
Follow it to the letter. Follow it to the second last line if you give up on
ZoneAlarm.

 

[Zepos]

The instructions
for a clean installation fixes some sins. You'll find it on this web page

Now, what kind of shit it this, Micro$hit?
"PLEASE USE INTERNET EXPLORER FOR DOWNLOADING ZONE ALARM"

Zepos