Best firewall for home computer

[mad1]

what's the best firewall(software and hardware) for a home computer with WIN XP for the OS.

[edwelly]

Some people like the Windows XP built in firewall. Some use their routers hardware firewall. I use SYGATE's firewall software. That's what I like. I like it better than ZONE ALARMS
but this is MY OPINION...
hope this helps some!
---edwelly

[KAknight]

I run both Zone Alarm & Sygate's Personal firewall. I also have a cable/dsl router with a hardware firewall. I think that Zone Alarm is the easiest to use for beginners. Don't waste your money on Black Ice Defender. Both ZA & Sygate are free.

[Harold7]

Using the free Tiny Personal Firewall along with the XP firewall is a very stable combination, with a minimum of resource load on your system or connection speed.


Right now I'm using Outpost Pro RC1 and it is also very stable for me (you have to turn off the XP firewall with Outpost)... very flexible program for personal configuration... checks out as showing completely Stealth at all the on-line security sites I've tested it on... GRC, DSL Reports etc.

I've used Norton Internet Security 2002 and it works very well with XP, but is a real resource hog of your internet connection.

[prttybean]

I am using Zone Alarm, which I am happy with, and a router firewall.

[BobViper]

ALOHA
Now I am running ZoneAlarmPro+Jammer!

There are a couple programs that access the internet that Jammer catches that Zone doesn't!~

I also have Tiny FireWall installed but currently disabled~However after a while it tries to access the internet for WHAT I don't know~
So I wonder about that?

Aloha~BobViper

[MegalosSkylaki]

Can TWO software Firewalls both be run together ?

Besides, the drain on System Resources (SR.) of both running in the background:

A) Is it possible ?
B) Can it be worth the extra drain in S.R. in added security ?
(Is there , in fact, any ADDED security in both ZA and Sygate --that is, two different modes of operation ?)

EVERYDOOGSKENNELISHISCASTLED G

[MMock]

I got a new machime her ewith xp and I am running nortons personal firewall. Personally I think nortons personal firewall does a good job and IS very simple to setup.It is only $20 and is worth the investment. You get constant updates to security features and it doesn't block everything just potential hackers and most trojan virus's.

[fatal xception]

Personally, I use Tiny Personal Firewall. It free and more configurable that Zone Alarm and Sygate. This has good and bad points. The less configured it is, the more that can slip through. TPF also uses less resources.

D G:

I don't think there is a problem running 2 firewalls, but it's repetative. Why use unnecessary resources?

BobViper:

I think TPF has some sort of auto update. Somewhere in properties I turned auto-something off and it stopped.

[wyvrn]

I use Zonealarm and have never had a problem with it. Had a lot of people try to get in when I ran Win2k server and the Code Red virus came out, but they never made it to my box. Fast and free wheeeeeeee.