Is the WIndows XP Firewall enough for protection from invasions on a LAN or any other firewall is necessary?
If yes, then what are the firewalls that are freely availably in the net & recoomendable?
Please consider resource requirement an issue as well in naming the firewall.
personally I think that the windows firewall is... nothing... A good firewall that I have used in the past, is Zone alarm.(dont use it if you play WoW.... they have issues with each other.) Heres a link to download. http://www.download.com/ZoneAlarm/3000-10435_4-10545544.html?tag=lst-0-2 If you want to play WoW, use the "Sygate Personal Firewall", for example. It's not free, but reliable, professional, and security should be worth paying for.
Sygate personal firewall is free one for personal use and it's ok 
I dont know but Avast! have build-in firewall too
I have only Avast! and i havent got any attack/worm/virus long time ago - its nice, easy to use, low resource needed, free, and its an antivirus too Windows Firewall in SP2 is much better than it was before, but sadly not enough because it dosent scan any outgoing stuff, which is rectified in Vista.
Now, if you have a PC with very low resources and stuff WinXP SP2 firewall is good, but if you have some excess RAM then go in for some good firewall software like ZoneAlarm or Sygate.
As for overall suites Kaspersky is really good and also Microsoft OneCare is good, atleast better than the resource hog norton.
Why do you want to use a firewall on a LAN? Don't you trust your workmates? I mean a firewall always comes handy, but is there a threat that you will get hacked by one of your workmates?
If you were talking about something between your LAN and the Internet, you may consider using a server that is more secure than Window$?
i would personally recommend ZoneAlarm... However, the recent 6.5 version is horrendous... Many probs like BSODs and crashes were caused. I had switched to Outpost, which I think is good too, but it's interface is quite complicated, and needs a lot of configuring...
I think it isn't enough to protect you and I also suggest Zone Alarm.SP2's firewall has quite good development but the hackers are also good...
sp2 firewall doesn't block anything
it's just preventing you from using p2p programs or internet programs
turn it off, then download a true firewall that is easily customizable.
actually,it is rubbish!
it can't block anythings!
now, i'm using hardware firewall, i think it is really good.
| kelvinpoon wrote: |
actually,it is rubbish!
it can't block anythings!
now, i'm using hardware firewall, i think it is really good. |
Just because you didnt liked it or couldnt configure it, doesnt means it can't block anything. I only use sp2 firerwall and the pcs which I dont want cant even ping my machine.
Sp2 firewall watches inbound traffic and not outboand traffic so it will block almost all attempts from outside but lets say if a spyware gets in your pc and tries to connect to internet, sp2 will do nothing about it. Zone alaram and norton firewall are undoubtly better but they take lot more pc resources then sp2 firewall does. In my opinion SP2 firewall (if configuered correctly) is sufficeient for LAN unless you think you have got professional hackers on network.The windows firewall is useless. I turn it off all the time. I use McAfee Virusscan. Very effective
| lukeropro wrote: |
| The windows firewall is useless. I turn it off all the time. I use McAfee Virusscan. Very effective |
It IS useless, indeed, as an antivirus... 
| Sunny wrote: |
| kelvinpoon wrote: | actually,it is rubbish!
it can't block anythings!
now, i'm using hardware firewall, i think it is really good. |
Just because you didnt liked it or couldnt configure it, doesnt means it can't block anything. I only use sp2 firerwall and the pcs which I dont want cant even ping my machine.
Sp2 firewall watches inbound traffic and not outboand traffic so it will block almost all attempts from outside but lets say if a spyware gets in your pc and tries to connect to internet, sp2 will do nothing about it. Zone alaram and norton firewall are undoubtly better but they take lot more pc resources then sp2 firewall does. In my opinion SP2 firewall (if configuered correctly) is sufficeient for LAN unless you think you have got professional hackers on network. |
even you have config it correctly, it is not safe enough for your computer.
i use some software to monitor my network, someone try to enter my computer even i turn on the SP2 firewall! (actually there are just a few things i can config)the real bad thing about Windows Firewall is that it cannot watch outbound traffic, unlike other firewalls. And also, I felt that it is somewhat vulnerable to hacking, because it can be so easily turned off by third party applications. Install Zonealarm or Outpost, they will automatically close Windows Firewall, and windows firewall do not even prompt you when it is closing. what if the one closing windows firewall was a malicious software?
I have tested numerous firewalls in the past, i allways used to swear by ZoneAlarm. More recently i got a new version (free from my ISP) and i wasn't impressed at all, although the firewall itself is still good the whole package is so bloated with its with 'Extra Features' virus scanner etc that it consumes too much system and network resources.
I also had numerous porblems getting ZoneAlarm running propperly on our network, it was just too obtrusive, even after setting up my LAN / Safezone policies manually it still would block certain traffic that i had told it not to 
this may not affect the average user but on more complex networks it proved a pain in the neck.
I now use Outpost Firewall, it's a much smaller footprint a load less bloated, works fine with our network, and passess all the relevent firewall security tests.
Outpost is available here :- http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/
You can test your existing firewall here :- https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
Whilst we are on the subject of computer security i can also recommend an awsome (although not very well known) virus scanner, it's without doubt the best i've ever used (and i'ved tried a few in my job) its called
NOD32 available at http://www.eset.com/
Again its a small footprint not bloated at all, very fast and its gained a 100% detection award (by virus bulletin) for the past few years running. Oh and think microsoft use it to so i guess its not to bad
