Software firewall necessary?

[Steve T]

I have a 2 PC wired home network using a D-Link router. Both PC's are XP
Home with SP-2. Do I need a firewall such as ZoneAlarm? I have ZA Pro but
have noticed that quite a few network problems, posted in this NG; involve a
solution to disable or remove software firewalls first. Just would like to
see a Pro and Con on the subject. I am contemplating removing my ZA. Thanks,
Steve T.

 

[Chuck]

I have a 2 PC wired home network using a D-Link router. Both PC's are XP
Home with SP-2. Do I need a firewall such as ZoneAlarm? I have ZA Pro but
have noticed that quite a few network problems, posted in this NG; involve a
solution to disable or remove software firewalls first. Just would like to
see a Pro and Con on the subject. I am contemplating removing my ZA. Thanks,
Steve T.

Steve,

A personal firewall is just one more thing to give you a problem, when you try
to get file sharing working. That said, a personal firewall will cover your @ss
if one of the computers gets infected, and attacks the other. No joke.

Use a personal firewall on each computer. No question.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/please-protect-yourself-layer-your.html>

 

[Steve T]

I just went through a complete fiasco deleting MS AntiSpyware and my file
sharing capabilities got corrupted. I can only share in one direction. AND I
cannot stop ZA from booting up ,using msconfig; so that I can go through my
network settings with ZA completely out of the loop. That's what prompted
the question. If all fails, I can always uninstall ZA, reset my network and
then re-install ZA. Thanks for the response, Steve T.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have a 2 PC wired home network using a D-Link router. Both PC's are XP
Home with SP-2. Do I need a firewall such as ZoneAlarm? I have ZA Pro but
have noticed that quite a few network problems, posted in this NG; involve a
solution to disable or remove software firewalls first. Just would like to
see a Pro and Con on the subject. I am contemplating removing my ZA. Thanks,
Steve T.

All computers that connect to the Internet need an incoming firewall,
which blocks undesired incoming traffic from hackers on the Internet.
Your D-Link router acts as an incoming firewall. You don't need ZA
for that.

A firewall program like ZA also acts as an outgoing firewall,
preventing undesired outgoing traffic from your computer to the
Internet. Undesired outgoing traffic can be caused by viruses and
spyware that get through your computer's other defenses.

If that type of protection is important to you, use a firewall program
like ZA.

I don't use firewall programs with outgoing protection on my
computers, and I don't recommend them for general use. IMHO, outgoing
protection from a program like ZA is too little, too late if a virus
or spyware program has already invaded a computer.

Properly configured, ZA and other firewalls don't cause problems in
communicating between your own computers on a LAN. However, so many
people have trouble configuring firewalls properly that I frequently
recommend disabling (or un-installing) firewalls as the first step in
troubleshooting.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I have a 2 PC wired home network using a D-Link router. Both PC's are XP
Home with SP-2. Do I need a firewall such as ZoneAlarm? I have ZA Pro but
have noticed that quite a few network problems, posted in this NG; involve a
solution to disable or remove software firewalls first. Just would like to
see a Pro and Con on the subject. I am contemplating removing my ZA. Thanks,
Steve T.

Here's something that I forgot to mention in my first reply.

I recommend running SP2's Windows Firewall. It's an incoming-only
firewall designed to allow file and printer sharing between computers
while blocking undesired traffic between them. If one computer on a
LAN becomes infected with something like the Blaster or Sasser worm,
WF can prevent it from spreading to other computers.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Chuck]

I just went through a complete fiasco deleting MS AntiSpyware and my file
sharing capabilities got corrupted. I can only share in one direction. AND I
cannot stop ZA from booting up ,using msconfig; so that I can go through my
network settings with ZA completely out of the loop. That's what prompted
the question. If all fails, I can always uninstall ZA, reset my network and
then re-install ZA. Thanks for the response, Steve T.

Steve,

With Zone Alarm, you have to un install very diligently.
<http://nh2.nohold.net/noHoldCust25/Prod_1/Articles55646/CompleteUninstallNonNT.html>

You can stop the ZA Control Center from booting up, but the firewall itself will
be active when you boot up until you un install it. As you found out.

As Steve W says, best un install til you get everything else working.

My advice is for the long term, for folks with more than one computer. For the
short term, un install and leave it un installed. Once everything else works,
then re install ZA.